The Neverland Ferry

There are those among us who were born directly into Neverland.  They physically inhabit our world, but their life philosophy is a youthful abandon following them well into adulthood.  Neverland, and maybe childhood itself, is a frame of mind. When you inhabit Neverland life is viewed through rose-colored glasses.  Your skies are always sunny and if there is rain in your physical space, it becomes a game through diversion or avoidance.  Your techniques are well-honed tools working to your advantage to preserve your enthusiasm for life.  That is, until the Neverland Ferry arrives to take the wannabe "Lost Boy"to the mainland.  It is a rough ride.

Sure, the ferry has visited in the past.  The exploration of the ride to the mainland and of the mainland itself have occurred occasionally throughout the many years of life.  The trips have been small lessons in growing up and the problems of adulthood.  Trouble with the parents, break-ups not self-engineered, deaths of older generation members, sickness, and difficult decisions all present obstacles to the Lost Boy life.  Inevitably, the problems can be accepted and dealt with in plenty of time to catch the next ferry back to the island.  A little maturity creeps up slowly each time, but the coverage is still spotty enough to allow for that return trip.  People stand in awe of this life philosophy.  Some find it enviable; others view it to be escapism.

The trips have gotten longer over the years.  Sometimes, the ferry doesn't make the return trip for long periods.  Reality takes over, making certain to gut punch just hard enough to make you realize there isn't always a way to escape.  Serious relationships,work, and fatherhood have brought the realization of a need for consistency and maturity.  The departure to an ice rink or a gathering of friends can still take place, but for shorter duration before you return directly to responsibility.  The love that has replaced the fun is a serious factor in the determination of longer stays among the real shared experiences of life.

And so it goes, until recently, when it appears the ferry may not return for quite some time.  Now you deal, for the first time, with the fragility of life itself.  The swiftness of that last breath has been startling for you.  Learning to make peace with carrying on the lessons learned can be a weighty responsibility.  Now is the time to consider the reality of the changing of the guard.  

The need to find fun through youthful endeavors has been replaced with finding joy in providing for the multiple families you have created and looking for life's highs through the eyes of your own son, Death takes many forms, but the physical death of those closest to us provide sobering lessons in the march of time and a guaranteed outcome that is the same for all of us.  The main lesson is not only in the inevitability of death, but also of the new life that often stems from death.  New life, new ideas, and hope are best appreciated with the tempering of old love and lessons of life.  

Life does continue forward.  We must keep changing, growing.  Even though the ferry cannot and should not always provide your escape, your youthful outlook can continue to give you a unique perspective on life's' challenges.  Sometimes you need to trust in those around you on the mainland to look out for you, just as you care for them.  Look to those who love you rather than opting for the ferry when life is hard.  The answers are almost always found in love and in time.  Life on the mainland can be joyful in unanticipated ways and prove to be a real rival for the time in Neverland.  Just give us a chance.