My favorite quote from Sister Madonna is, "Don't ever grow up! Never lose sight of your inner child. It is the purest, most unadulterated authentic part of you". Love it! I read it outloud at book club. Then I wondered aloud what this part of me is. Hmmmm. I feel like even as a child I was adult like. One of my friends piped up with, "That's why you married Cam". Exactly! Cam embraces his inner child.....actually it's not really all that inner. :) But seriously Cam is silly and wild and childlike in all the fun ways.
Back to the childlike part of me. I'm serious when I say I wonder what it is. I do like to have fun and be silly and laugh. When I think of what I really enjoyed doing as a kid it was a lot of adult like play. I loved playing house and dolls and school...you know I was the teacher and the mom and the boss! I loved riding bikes and playing jump rope. I loved school (until high school) and loved spelling. I loved to cook and sew. I loved to organize and clean. I would ask my friends if I could help them clean their rooms.
So what part of those things is childlike in my life now? Did I become a mom of 5 kids with a teaching degree who loves to read, sew, clean and cook to hold onto my inner child? And...be the boss. Is that how I express my inner child? I don't know. I'm really stumped. I don't really like to play. I'll play games with the kids (not Candy Land) and read to them but really I don't like to play imaginary games. Painful. I like to work. I really do. I happen to enjoy my work which is good.
Maybe the inner child in me doesn't look like play. Maybe it's the deeply caring part of me. As I child I always felt deeply for others, for those less fortunate or mistreated. I was so distraught when I first saw starving children on TV. As an adult I still feel deeply for others. If that is part of my inner child I am happy to nurture it and not ever lose sight of that child.
So, people who know me well, those that knew me as a child. Please tell me, what does my inner child look like so that I can hold tight to it. Thank you.
I think that the caring part of you may be part of your inner child, but I also think that the part of you that revels in silliness is part of your inner child. For example, I have seen you make all kinds of funny faces and sounds while laughing with and enjoying your children. You can be very uninhibited in that way, and I think that is also part of your inner child. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with CMP - I also think that the ability to bring order out of chaos is something that children play at...and vice versa. You make valentines, quilts, you bring beauty into your home and you are a wonderful cook. Those talents come from the ability to mingle and mix and try new things. I think those are qualities that your inner child desires. And, as a grown up, you can create, again and again, your own world. And then there is the ability to hold and soothe and laugh full hearted and eager. Inner child, there you are!
ReplyDeleteCAM is a hottie
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous. But Becky ain't bad either!
ReplyDelete:)