Sladek, Marilyn

Digital Commons @ Butler University

18 MANUSCRIPTS/The Idol Grows UpMarilyn SladekCHILDREN are the world's greatest idolizers. Nearly ev~ry littleboy who has' ever donned a baseball cap has worshipped atleast one hero in the Baseball Hall of Fame. And what littlegirl has never watched, starry-eyed,. as her favorite actress carriedher young imagination into the realms of ecstasy?Most children do pass through many stages of idol worship.Observing the glamorous, thrilling lives led by famous athletes, TVand movie stars, or story book heroes, youngsters begin to wish theycould share in such adventures. In their minds these charactersbecome images of perfection and endless strength, flawless person-alities who never make mistakes. These people are adopted as idols.But idol worship nearly always ends in disappointment. Theday finally comes when the lovely star is pictured out of. costumeand without her stage make-up. Perhaps the athlete's good fortunebegins to wane, and he is soon replaced by a new hero. These aredisappointments to a child. His image of ethereal perfection isbrought sharply down to a very common level.This type of disappointment is not terribly difficult for a childto accept, and soon it is forgotten. It will pass fr0111 his mind,leaving practically no scar-with one exception.When a child learns to love he has progressed a long step f romhis childish world; for when love enters into his idolizing, the childhas discovered an ideal.Ideals are pillars of permanence that can be used to fashion alife. Ideals are living, growing things that must constantly becomedeeper and stronger. Idols with clay feet are quickly discarded, butideals are clung to and held fast despite the tempests of life.An ideal may exist in several forms. It may begin as an idoland grow up, matured by love. A boy may idolize his father as heteaches him to ride his bicycle or hold a bat. But as the boy growsup to recognize his father's strength of character, wisdom, and lovingwillingness to sacrifice for his family, this idol achieves the statusof an ideal-a model worthy of imitation.An ideal might also be a philosophy. The discovery and de-velopment of an approach to life, with its contradictions and com-plexities, is often embodied in an idealistic behavior goal. Or an idealcan be that goal itself, the attainment of a wonderful dream.Idealism, unlike idol worship, is fully able to withstand challengeand even failure, able to sustain a hurt and try again. It is noteasily discarded, and, when it is, leaves a mark that even the sandsof time could never obliterate.Idol worship is part of the world of children; idealism is fullygrown. The birth of idealism may be painful, for the world doesnot deal gently with the idealist who will settle for nothing short ofhis ideal. But an idealism built on wisdom and nourished by lovegives man a goal and a dream. Without these two, life is withoutpurpose.

The Idol Grows Up

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The Idol Grows Up

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