It is such a cool word, a goofy word, a childish word. It sounds kinda square and geeky. Can words be suave or debonair or awkward, like people. Eager. Someone will name their son Eager one day. I can hear the NFL announcer, “Eager Bakerfield, catches the ball on the 20, fakes to the left and finds the pocket. Awww, face mask on the play. Penalty on Eager! They’ll take it back to the 20.”
Eagerness is a youthful expression. Eagerness is anticipation of something desired. We’re eager for recess. We’re eager to run down the hallway on Christmas morning. We’re eager to get out driver’s licenses. We’re eager to run into that boy we have the crush on. Eagerness is coupled with nervous energy, but it is happy, thrilling tension.
When are adults eager? We call it anxiety. But, anxiety is a negative emotion, fearfilled and full of trepidation. Eagerness for adults is compromised by caution and reluctance. Maybe we are eager to go on vacation; catching a plane off to some lovely destination to explore or canoodle. Maybe we are eager for the Lotto drawing. But we are not eager enough. Eagerness is filled with want and desire. Eagerness is a craving for something. Can you imagine an adult hopping back and forth from one foot to the other in eager anticipation of the vending machine releasing their Cheetos? My 9 year old does….he LOVES his Cheetos! He wants his Cheetos. Gimme them Cheetos.
Where do we lose or divest ourselves of the simplest joy in the smallest of things? Shouldn’t we dance a jig in front of the coffee maker waiting for that glorious morning cup of Joe. How about skipping from the car across the parking lot to the movie theater ticket window for our Twilight/New Moon matinee? So many occasions to be joyful and eager. It is the perfect counterbalance to all the angst and anxiety of what we dread and wish to avoid.