Dianne Lehmann

When I was Young the World was New



Posted: Tuesday, November 15, 2011

by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy

Well, not actually. The world was already pretty old. And even though humans as we know us today are a relatively new addition, it had all been around for quite a while before I came on the scene. Nevertheless, it was all new to me. I would often stand spellbound by the wonder of it all.

Very early on, I earned the nickname of "Peepers" due to my tendency to stare at everyone and everything. What no one could know was how furiously I was thinking and correlating. If they had been privy to what was going on behind those dark brown eyes, they might have stuck me away somewhere quiet where everything was done up in muted greens and soft whites.

I was a shy and quiet child (I am still shy but not quite so quiet) and I would stand nearly invisible and just take it all in. People interacting with people, people interacting with non-human animals, and animals interacting with animals was all fodder for my imagination. People interacting with inanimate objects was of particular interest to me. I could never understand why my mother cursed at the drawer when it would not open easily. It always seemed to me that talking sweetly to it would get a much better response. Later, as an adult, I realized that talking sweetly to a drawer probably wouldn't affect it in any way, but my mother continued to curse them and I still thought it was silly. At any rate, as a child I was fascinated by the weather and growing things, insects and reptiles and you name it. At times it was all too much for me. I would have to retreat to my room and try to make sense of it all. I could sit alone for what seemed like hours just thinking. Mom never worried. Shoot, I was being quiet and not causing trouble. Grandma thought it was "unnatural."

New has been something of a problem for me all of my life. It either scares the crap out of me or catches me up so completely that I feel I go a bit insane for a while. While trying to learn a new way to do a thing, I will sometimes become convinced that all other ways of doing it are rubbish. Or the new thing might scare me so badly on some level that trying to get past it becomes more like self-torture as in trying to learn to ride a horse at the canter. But eventually, my pendulum swings back and forth enough that it comes to rest at a nice comfortable mid-ground. When trying to learn a new thing and at first abjuring all other methods, I eventually find a synthesis of many things that works well and doesn't mean I have to abandon old ways of thinking if I don't want to. After a time, I find accommodation.

When I look at young people from the perspective of my 59 years of age, I see much of what I remember from my youth. Even so, sometimes it seems to me that they are making way too much out of so little. For the young, everything is highly emotionally charged. They feel all things with all parts of themselves. The pimple that pops out before a big date is a life ending catastrophe. Getting or not getting exactly what you asked for on Christmas morning is a cause for tears, or yelling, or unbridled joy.

I do not generally feel things with the intensity that I once did. At some point, we learn moderation. This is, as far as I am concerned, a good thing. I prefer quiet and calm and repose in my life to always being excited about one thing or another. It's exhausting. I don't know how teenagers survive those years.

There are, however, occasions when I experience some of the overarching exuberance I once knew as a child. Oddly enough, despite my professions to quietude, those moments are precious to me. When I was young, the world was new. Now that I am old the world has become old as well. But it still holds things to surprise and amaze me and I can still look at it with those same dark brown eyes. I am ever grateful for that.
Dianne Lehmann is a jewelry designer who has been in business since January of 2000. Her interest in designing and manufacturing jewelry goes back beyond that to 1994. It took her many years of trying various creative outlets to finally figure out that making jewelry is what she really enjoys. She has also discovered that she loves to write for Wryte Stuff. If you like, you may view her jewelry creations at http://www.syzygyjewelry.com

When I Was Young
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by The Old Gray Mare
 186 days 18 hours ago.
53 fans. Follow The Old Gray Mare on twitter!
If we see the world with amazement and through our eyes with wonder and gratitude, we have it made in the shade! It's the wonder of it all.

I'll be you don't have all that much fear of something new as you think. I'll bet it's the change that you perceive and when we get beyond the 50 mark, it becomes a whole lot more normal to fear the new or the changes, whatever. You are good at what you do, are an astute and entertaining writer, have lots of us that wouldn't miss anything you write and have to say, so speaking for us here, you've got it gal!

Love ya!
» left by Dianne Lehmann 186 days 16 hours ago.
137 fans.
Hi Heidi.

That is the trick, after all, seeing the world through ever-young eyes. But really, new stuff can be a problem for me. :)

Thanks so much for all your kind thoughts. You've made me smile!

Hugs,

Dianne
» left by Nancy Daniels 186 days 2 hours ago.
68 fans.
Dianne,

Wonderful writing and a most interesting take on the 'overaching exuberance' you felt as a child and not as much so today. I wish you more of that.
» left by Dianne Lehmann 185 days 22 hours ago.
137 fans.
Hi Nancy.

Both my husband and I have commented on and discussed how everything seemed so much "bigger" when we were younger. And I mean everything. :) I can remember being so excited about something that I thought I would die ... or for sure split a seam. :)

I actually have plenty enough excitement in my life to keep me happy. You know, there is an ancient curse (I think it's Chinese) that goes something like: May you live in interesting times. :)

Thanks for reading!

Hugs,

Dianne
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