My comments:

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

That is a quote from the Christian Bible (1 Corinthians 13:11, King James Version). In our example the speaker talks more or less about the same thing – she’s growing up, from a starry-eyed little girl to a young woman.

And as a result, she’s giving up some of the childish traits she used to have, such as losing some of her na?ve dreams about how the world should be.

In other words, she’s more realistic than before.

She’s retained a girl’s smile and curiosity, though – for the time being.

For the time being, she is, in her own words, half girl, half woman.

Let’s hope she remains that way throughout her adult life. As one grows older, one does stop acting childish. That is as it should be.

However, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be child-like, retaining a child-like curiosity, simplicity and genius – to grasp new things quickly and seemingly effortlessly.

For being child-like is ultimately how nature works its wonders.

Be child-like, that is, not childish.

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