Try any goddam thing you like, no matter how boringly normal or outrageous. If it works, fine. If it doesn't, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.
You know, small children take it as a matter of course that things will change every day and grown-ups understand that things change sooner or later and their job is to keep them from changing as long as possible. It’s only kids in high school who are convinced they’re never going to change. There’s always going to be a pep rally and there’s always going to be a spectator bus, somewhere out there in their future.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Children accept change as a part of life, whereas adults often resist it, particularly in youth.
In this quote, Stephen King highlights the contrasting perspectives on change between children, adults, and teenagers. While small children readily embrace the daily changes in their world, and adults understand change is inevitable but often try to resist it, teenagers, particularly in high school, are often caught up in their limited view of stability and permanence. King's observation underscores the natural evolution of one's understanding of change as they age and the tendency to cling to constancy during the uncertain teenage years.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal growth during a workshop.
More from Stephen King
All quotes →Eddie discovered one of his childhood's great truths. Grownups are the real monsters, he thought.
Hairstyles change, and skirt lengths, and slang, but high school administrations? Never.
Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.
That's the day's business. Thinking. Thinking and isolation, because it doesn't matter if you pass the time of day with someone or not; in the end, you're alone. He seemed to have put in as many miles in his brain as he had with his feet. The thoughts kept coming and there was no way to deny them.
Late last night and the night before, tommyknockers, tommyknockers knocking on my door. I wanna go out, don't know if I can 'cuz I'm so afraid of the tommyknocker man.
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It is not for us to forecast the future, but to shape it.