(My childhood idol, Bernie Kosar, in all of his mullet-ed glory.)
Ever since I was young, I have wanted to be starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. When I was ten years old, I dressed up as Bernie Kosar for Halloween. He was the starting quarterback for the Browns at the time and I wanted to be just like him. That’s a silly dream for me now, especially when I am 25 years old and didn’t play football in college.
No one told me that I couldn’t play in the NFL when I was little. I know that I can’t play now, but I think part of me thought I had a chance back then. I played pick-up football games with my friends and I always argued to be quarterback so I could practice. No one was going to tell me I couldn’t do it, I was just a little kid. It is impolite to step on the dreams of a child. Why is it acceptable to walk on the dreams of a full grown adult? When does that change?
I love to joke just as much as the next guy. When I am joking, it is never my intention to make someone feel bad. But sometimes jokes go over the line and hurt someone’s feelings. Halloween is a time where we can dress up as the types of people we want to be. On any other night, if I walked into a party or a bar dressed as a teenage mutant ninja turtle, I would be the butt of everyone’s joke. On Halloween, everything is different. People are more accepting of different on that day; the most unique costume is usually the most complimented. Can this same attitude be shown towards ideas that are different?
How many people’s new ideas have been suppressed because they are afraid of what others might think? The people who are different or silly are those who will truly excel in this life. Think about the great scientific minds with theories that were ahead of their time. Maybe our jokes are stifling the next Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci or Einstein before they have a chance to change the world.
This Halloween, think about when you were little and dressed up to trick or treat. When other children come by asking for treats, remember they are filled with joy and hope for what the future may hold. You and I were once like them. With a little effort, we can rekindle that type of unbridled enthusiasm.
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