When I Grow Up, Wondering All the Way

Recently, I have been listening to "When I Grow Up" from Matilda the Musical.
"When I Grow Up" From the Musical
"When I Grow Up" Performed by Tim Minchin, the Play's Composer

To me, this song is a wonderful example of hope. Tim Minchin brilliantly provides a powerful philosophy from the perspective of little girl. I love this song whenever I need to drive myself through anything difficult.

Matilda hopes in this song, dreaming of her future, and she wonders. This childlike wonder that the song expresses reminds me of an article by Micheal Mazenko entitled "Awaiting - still - a renaissance of wonder". I read this article in my English class a few weeks ago, and didn't think too much of it. However, listening to "When I Grow Up" reminded me of it, and I revisited the sense of wonder that Mazenko discusses. It really didn't seem complete though, and I recalled another view of the article also studied in class. A retired English teacher wrote about it and added some interesting points. She puts this frame of wonder into perspective after one has grown up and lost some childhood innocence.

So why do these articles matter? After reading them, I came to more of an understanding about wonder. One can be innocent, but you can do well to maintain a sense of reality. This makes it all the more real, and I believe it is therefore ultimately more powerful.

So now whenever I listen to the happy lyrics in "When I Grow Up", I get a wonderful sense of hope and happiness.