More than once in my life I have been told – and have told myself – that I was naive. That I shouldn’t believe everything I hear. That I need to grow up – and grow a pair.
I thought about it, truth be told, I’ve been thinking about it for years and I’ve decided that it’s complete bullshit.
In Spanish, the term „naive“ doesn’t exist. They use the word „inocente“, which obviously doesn’t require translation. In German, two synonyms are „gutgläubig“ (to believe in the good) and „blauäugig“ (to have blue eyes). All three are true. I do believe in the good in people and I do have blue eyes, too. Am I innocent? Define „innocent“!
Yes, I wish people would just simply get along and stop fighting, or rather, fight about stuff that matters, and then make up later. If that’s innocent, well then, yes, I’m innocent.
But then I think we all think that. We all would like to live peacefully in this world, tolerant and respectfully with eachother. We just don’t utter such words, in fear of being called… naive.
So I have come to the conclusion that I don’t need to grow a pair. I have a pair. A pair big enough to admit that I will not stop believing in the good, I will not stop getting involved, and I won’t stop to get my hopes up and fall flat on my face – over and over. I have the cojones to try, time and again, and to get disappointed by people that are too afraid to even take a chance.
Don’t get me wrong – I like cynicism and sarcasm, too – as a means of irony and humor, not as a feature of character.
We all are naive, but not everyone has the balls to admit to it and live accordingly.
Tangerine Tales 