“Childhood is short and maturity lasts forever.”

This is one of my favorite “Calvin and Hobbes” quotes. It's not especially profound, funny, or clever, but it's true. It's something kids and teenagers tend to forget.

I love reading “Calvin and Hobbes” because it reminds me that I'm still a kid. I have spent hours reading these books over and over. I cannot be stumped by a “Calvin and Hobbes” quote. Give me a random piece of dialogue from any comic, and I will finish the strip. Guaranteed.

I love that “Calvin and Hobbes” comics are simple, heartfelt, real, and just plain funny. They tell the story of a mischievous, disobedient, and big-hearted six-year-old boy who goes on fantastic adventures with his stuffed tiger, who comes to life when no one else is around. He doesn't care that kids make fun of him because he's different. He appreciates life, takes the time to be a kid, and lets his imagination run wild.

Calvin may be flunking first grade, but he has taught me a lot about life through his crazy adventures and active imagination. Reading “Calvin and Hobbes” has taught me the importance of play. I have learned not to take the world too seriously. I have learned not to let my peers influence who I want to be. I have learned that while getting good grades and taking difficult classes is important, it's not all that matters in life. I believe the world would be a better place if everyone had an imagination like Calvin and if no one were ashamed to play with stuffed animals.

Of course, I will technically grow up eventually. “Calvin and Hobbes,” though, reminds me that I will always be a kid at heart. Calvin and Hobbes are never going to grow up no matter how many times I read the comic, and the part of me that loves them will never grow up either.

The last “Calvin and Hobbes” ever published is my favorite. It's a Sunday comic, so it's bigger than just a simple strip, and in color. It shows the two friends standing on top of a snowy hill with their toboggan. Calvin remarks how wonderful the fresh, untouched snow looks, how it is like a fresh start, a day full of possibilities. Hobbes agrees, comparing the hill to “a big white sheet of paper to draw on.” “It's a magical world, Hobbes, ol' buddy,” Calvin says as they begin their descent. “Let's go exploring.”

I'm just beginning my descent. There are so many opportunities for me out there, when I am ready. If I stay true to myself and to the little kid inside me, if I am creative, work hard, use my imagination, and always have a sense of humor, I know I will be able to find exactly where I belong.

It's a magical world. I'm going exploring.