The Innocence of My Childhood Dreams

The Innocence of My Childhood Dreams

By: John Kazerooni 

When I was a child, the world around me was harsh and unyielding. From my father’s strict discipline using his belts to my teachers’ stern enforcement of rules using wood sticks that we called it “tarkeh” in Persian, I often found myself on the receiving end of punishments. This constant rigidity made me feel powerless and small. In my heart, I longed for strength that went beyond any force that tried to control me. I dreamed of being an eagle.

The eagle for me represented everything I wanted to be—free, powerful, and untouchable. I loved everything about the bird—the power of its wings, its sharp talons, its majestic beak, and its piercing eyes. To me, the eagle was a symbol of freedom and strength, soaring high above the world, unbound by anything. Its ability to fly over mountains, through jungles, and across vast oceans made it seem invincible, a creature that could go anywhere, do anything, and never be touched by the struggles of life below.

I used to imagine what it would be like if I were an eagle. With my powerful wings, I thought I could travel the entire world, exploring places that most people could only dream of. I could pass over tall peaks and dense forests, feeling the rush of wind beneath me as I flew across oceans and valleys. In my imagination, I wasn’t just a bird, but the ruler of the skies, free from fear or limitation. My sharp talons would allow me to grasp even the strongest creatures, carrying them far away, as if I could control the very forces of nature. My eagle eyes would see everything—no detail would escape me, no movement in the vast world below unnoticed.

I believed the eagle never died. In my young mind, such a magnificent creature couldn’t possibly be subject to the same rules as other animals. The eagle seemed eternal, untouched by time or fate, an unstoppable force that lived on forever.

But as time passed and I grew older, I began to realize that even the eagle is a victim of nature, just like all living things. I learned that it, too, faces struggles for survival, battling hunger, predators, and the harshness of the elements. The very wings I admired so much could grow tired. The eagle, for all its power, was not beyond the reach of death. It was bound by the same natural laws that govern all life, vulnerable in ways I had never imagined as a child.

The dreams I had of being an eagle were not just about the force of punishment from my surroundings or freedom and strength—they reflected the innocence of my childhood, a time when I believed that some creatures were beyond the reach of hardship. As I grew, I understood that no being, no matter how mighty, escapes the challenges of life. The eagle, like everything else, is part of a fragile ecosystem, subject to the same forces that shape all creatures.

As I reflect on those early dreams, I see them now as a symbol of my childhood’s naivety—an idealized view of the world where strength meant invincibility, and freedom meant escape from all limitations. But adulthood has taught me that strength is not about being untouchable. It’s about enduring the challenges life throws our way and continuing to soar despite them.

This leads me to ask: How often do we hold on to our childhood dreams, unaware of the realities they hide? Can we learn to appreciate the beauty of those dreams, even when they no longer align with the truths we now understand? Do we allow the realities of life to dim the sense of wonder we once had, or can we find a new kind of strength in acknowledging life’s fragility? And in our quest for freedom and strength, do we, like the eagle, ultimately learn that true power comes from facing life’s inevitable challenges, rather than escaping them? ...

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