What's One Thing You've Learned As An Adult You Wish You Knew As A Kid?

I learned that I should not have listened to most of my teachers in school. Sometimes teachers scare kids into losing their ambitions. We live in a society that tries really hard to pigeonhole kids, instead of letting them figure things out on their own. We’re way too protective. I think that totally screws you up. I spent five years in college fighting to retain my real creative ambitions. I want to get this point across: if you have a good idea, and you think it’s a good idea, don’t ask anyone else to agree with it. Just make it happen. If it’s good enough for you, it’s good enough to do. (Yes, that’s one of those grandpa rhymes.) Whether it’s traveling to New York, hitchhiking to Utah, reading the entire encyclopedia, or building a raft and sailing down the Mississippi, just make it happen.

My painting, The Elephant in the Flower Garden, directly relates to this question. For the story, click here.