a long time ago i wrote a joke about pitching a new program to disneyland– the conceit being that you could subsidize an underprivileged child’s discounted admission to disneyland and spend the day with them, experiencing the joy of the park through their open, unjaded eyes (the punchline being that said program is one of many good ideas ruined by me continually forgetting that pedophiles exist.) the idea came back to me through this movie as soon as i realized that the openness and curiosity that most children hold allowed jesse to bypass the invisible customs of courtesy that we learn as adults and just… ask why things are a certain way. and when you care enough to treat those senses respectfully, you find yourself encouraging their openness and vulnerability like a proxy for your own similar senses. you slowly discover the parts of yourself that need the most care. you slowly discover the parts of yourself that are most equipped to care for others.

to care for a child is such a special thing. it’s not just a chance to properly nurture a person’s future. sometimes it’s a chance to properly nurture your own past.