A child’s innocence is like glass, so fragile that you feel the need to be careful with it every step of the way. The concept of play is something that can be difficult to understand for most adults since it is very abstract, however, for kids, it is simply a part of their everyday lives. Why is this innocence so important though? It can also be said that play is way more important than one may think. Preserving the pure mind of a child is necessary for healthy growth and the development of independence. For example, setting good examples for other children and allowing them to explore the world of play to their heart’s content. No, innocence is not simply ignorance. Play allows the child to explore on their own and not have to feel like they can’t do anything themselves. 

Throughout the comic book, They Called Us Enemy, the Takei children are so pure that it’s honestly adorable. This comic also struck me in a lot of ways. Reading this, it pained me to see childhood innocence be tainted by reasons of something that wasn’t even their own fault as a result of prejudice against the Japanese Americans. These children don’t deserve this kind of treatment. However, what really had me intrigued was how they were able to still imagine and play despite their difficult situation. I was inspired by this and it made me a question, how do kids like the Takei children make the best of play. The Takei parents also did their best to ensure this and that is truly inspiring (one of the many things that I love about this book). We all have our own inner struggles and problems that seem impossible to deal with. Life throws at us everything it can without any remorse. After all, “People are infallible human beings” (Takei). Therefore, we should pay special attention to a kid’s mental health and make sure that they are getting enough play. 

In class, I learned a lot more about the concept of play and experimented with it by combining and creating something through comic books especially, which are one of my greatest guilty pleasures. The school even had a whole play day. In the end, it was all very enjoyable and therapeutic, a great experience. After all, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. This is why we must protect children’s world of play. I personally hope to understand this more in the future. Nonetheless, despite what difficult challenges we may be facing right now, it is important to take a break for yourself and allow yourself to indulge in your own world of imagination. Only then will the world seem a little bit brighter.