lessons from childhood (and dr seuss)

When I was younger...

i believed my father was a superhero

i believed it when i was told i could be anything i wanted to be.

i tried anything despite not being qualified - that word had no meaning to me. if i tried something and failed it just meant i would get to try it again.

i was fearless -- we're talking roller skating down a hill that could rival some of those in San Fran

i didn't think about my body in any way other than that it was what let me do cool things

fear foods were foods that looked gray and splumped onto the cafeteria tray

i thought my mother was beautiful not in spite of her differences, but because her differences were what made her my mom

i knew the power of friendship and trusted it wholly

weight was wait -- and its only association was when you had to wait your turn

i believed in sharing and caring

all of life's problems could be solved by reading a Sweet Valley book

rainbow brite protected me in my sleep in the form of a blanket and when i was scared helped me feel secure by being wrapped tightly around me

feelings weren't right or wrong - i just felt and it was okay to do so

i would get excited to hear the ice cream truck

i was addicted to the game candyland and the idea of that forever happy place that existed even if my house was not happy -- it gave me a sense that there was someplace happy in the world- someplace good where people were truly good - i consequently felt that hope could be found in a board game --- or in anything

dr. seuss taught me that "unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better it's not,"  that I would succeed (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.), and that “sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple" which would help me ask the right questions to get to the honest answer.

the world was my playground and it was my job to explore it - finding things other people were too busy to see and overlooked- "You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut."

i neglected grammar and believed putting a heart next to my name made any apology letter better

i thought that hugging was giving another person a piece of you -- the harder you hugged the more you loved them

i listened to my body cues. when i was hungry i ate. when i was tired i slept.

i knew that exercise was meant to be fun

i believed wishes were magic and that it was possible for dandelion seeds to carry dreams and wishes away

i believed that dandelions were flowers too

i got excited at the simple things like discovering the goldfish cracker character has a name (it's finn and his girlfriend is Brooke --- oh wait, that may have been my adult self...)

i was mindful -- very much aware of that moment in time. if i was there with you - i was there with you rather than thinking of something else. if i were playing soccer, i was focusing on that.

i dreamed of the day when i could grow up and eat dessert every night like my father who would have a pb&j sandwich and a bowl of ice cream every night before bed, but after doing a couple of sets of one armed push ups.

i believed in promises and trusted people

my dinner plate was colorful... and i ate bread which obviously didn't kill me

and probably most importantly... i loved myself... i didn't know how not to

oh what my younger self could teach me...

what could your younger self teach you??

p.s... major hugs and well wishes to Ashley (she knows why)