Act your age? What the heck does that mean? You would think, after being an “adult” for as long as I have, I’d have achieved some mastery of how to act like a grown up. But I’m still not sure what that animal looks like. When I compare myself to my wonderful maternal grandmother when she was my current age, there is no comparison. Especially in the wardrobe department, thank goodness. Other than that, I’m unclear about acting like an adult.
Personally, I think kids have a much better idea. They are simply themselves, which means they are quite in touch with being silly, playful, in the moment, and every other cliché you can think of about being-here-now. They are guileless, completely honest and open with their feelings and opinions.
Take your inner child on more playdates
Example: Some years ago, my face was a mass of red, oozing sores, thanks to a miracle drug that destroyed all pre-skin cancer cells. One day the nine year old kid next door saw me, did a gaping double-take and exclaimed, “yuck, what’s WRONG with your face!” Self- esteem is capable of full recovery under the most arduous circumstances. In this case, I was helped along because I knew the child was simply being real, not harm intended, none taken.
Kids call ‘em as they see ‘em. They are in tune with how Unimportant it is to be correct all the time. They teach me not to grade myself all the time.
In the spirit of all that, my inner child recently had a playdate at the beautiful Huntington Library and Gardens in Pasadena, CA. As you see here in the Chinese gardens, I was attacked by an ornamental dragon, or is that a lion? No matter. The other adults witnessing the silliness were happily on the same page with me. Confirmation that we all need to play more.
Happy to see you doing this, Diane! Playfulness is EVERYTHING! xox :o)
Thank heaven you did not need a rabies shot