Puff the Magic Dragon

Here I am working the 4am-8am shift again with plenty of time to do all my homework. I prefer to do this instead as it's much more fun. Plus I have something on my mind that might be entertaining to write about just to see what kind of word vomit I can produce.

Yesterday in one of my classes we analyzed a few songs, one of which was "Puff the Magic Dragon," by Peter Paul and Mary. I've always been a fan of the song, but I guess I never really thought about the message of its lyrics. I just assumed it was like any other piece from that time period, involving some sort of revolutionary message, which it very well could be, but when we listened to it yesterday and discussed it, I discovered a new message that very well could impact the way I go about living my life. First impression to many is that this song is meant for children. In some cases it is. There is an animated video that goes with the song, insinuating the song is a children's song. Then you have the other context where it is intended for adults.

Here's the link to the song :)

The song is about what I assume to be a young girl named Jackie who has an imaginary friend, Puff the magic dragon. Do you remember when you were young and you had that imaginary friend and the world was completely within your grasp. You could do anything! Nothing seemed sad or gave you reason to think negatively towards the world. When we were kids we didn't have a care in the world. That time was so beautiful and I miss being so carefree. This song is written more from the perspective of Jackie's imaginary friend. Once Jackie grew up, Puff became lonely because Jackie no longer wanted to play.

Do you remember when you began to lose interest in your imaginary friend? The world started to become more real for you and at times smiling and laughing were not what you wanted to do because your life just seemed to turn to hell sometimes. That optimism and constant happiness became tainted by death, money, work, relationships, and other things that people seem to think determine happiness nowadays. There is no reason that adults cannot still have an imaginary friend. We put ourselves through hell because reality makes us feel as if the world is out to get us. What a skewed perception we possess. Yes, things go wrong and life does not always work out the way we want it to, but we can still attain happiness by just doing our best to remain optimistic.

I challenge you to think back to your childhood and reunite yourself with that imaginary friend as cheesy as that definitely sounds. Even though an imaginary friend may be imaginary, it represents something that in this day in age is important to have-the thought in the back of your head that things will be okay despite disappointment; life is not out to get you. We can determine our happiness by just changing our approach to reality. The following quote could not be more real for this situation.

"Life is what you make it. Always has been, always will be."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

If that child-like happiness is so beautiful, then why not attain it in your adulthood. You determined your happiness when you were a child because you did not let yourself become incredibly inundated with negative things. Why not try that same approach now? Give it a shot, you may surprise the hell out of yourself.