REMEMBER the SEVEN YEAR OLD!

Do you remember when you were a kid, say about seven years old. The world was full of wonder. You and your friends could become whatever your imagination allowed. The vacant lot or field near your house became some foreign land, cardboard boxes or scrap wood became a club house or a pirate ship.

On a hot summer day, the sprinklers going off in your neighbors yard was cause for celebration, as you all cooled off running through them, running from the imaginary sea monster chasing you. You lived in the moment! Even if a disagreement or the disruption of your mother calling you to come in did not dampen your spirit long because there was always tomorrow.

Why is it that as we grow up, we forget that seven year old that still is inside of us. We get so caught up in being an adult we forget to enjoy with wild abandon LIFE! We battle the monsters of bills, illness, stress, and other adult problems. Where is it written that we must stop playing!

Sometimes, I think we need to be reminded to STOP and look at the world through the eyes of that child. If we want to experience life to the fullest we must remember to be seven again, even if it only for a little bit. The hardest part is remembering to do this when things seem to be at their darkest. However, that is when we have to go find a sprinkler or a fort.

The other day, I lost my ATM card, and a gift card to the grocery store,that was going to provide food for the rest of the month for me and my daughter. So, I had no cash, no access to any, a little food in the house, and I had no idea what had happened to these cards. I was fighting a monster! I tore the house apart, retraced my steps and remembered using my ATM card at the corner convenience store the night before.

I got on my very stylish red scooter, as my van is non operational, and scooted to the store to inquire if someone had found my cards. Hopeful, I entered the store and prayed that they had been found.... NO SUCH LUCK!

Dejected, I scooted my way back home, preparing myself to call the bank, cancel my ATM card, and deal with what lay ahead. I was being very adult! I was not in a good mood!
As I came around the corner on my street, I was met with the sight of a mother duck and her SIXTEEN (I counted) ducklings. I stopped scooting. I laughed as the one at the end of the line was trying desperately to find tidbits of something to snack on and would fall on his face every few steps as he tried to peck at the ground. Mama Duck would stop her brood and wait for him to catch up. I suddenly found that seven year old inside of me!

As she decided to cross the street, I moved my scooter into the middle of the road, to prevent any cars from harming this adorable family. A woman in her SUV pulls up, slows to a stop, and became seven again, as she grabbed a camera and smiling took a picture of this sight. Two maintenance workers in their golf cart, came on the scene. Elbowing each other and smiling, they too became seven again! Time stopped for all of us as we watched this family make their way across the street and into the shade of a tree.

Suddenly, lost cards, wherever the SUV lady was rushing off too, or rushing through a maintenance job were not important. We were living right there in THAT moment! As I slowly scooted off, I had to smile, and thank God for reminding me to stop and see the wonders of His world. I had a smile on my face the rest of the day.

So, I offer a challenge or a reminder to all. No matter how bad the day may seem, if you can find something that puts a smile on your face, gives you a laugh, or helps you even for a moment live life with the wonder of that seven year old, you will start to see that wonder more and more!

By the way, when I got home, I found another ATM card for my account, and the next day, a friend of mine, who knew about my misplaced cards, handed me a gift card to the grocery store. WILL WONDERS NEVER CEASE!
What are you going to do today to LIVE life?!

Gretchen Garie
President Movers & Shakers Inc.
www.pdadvocates.org

Melinda you inspired this. Thanks!

I go through life day by day hoping my wife would look my way.
I lay in bed longing for her touch and thinking to myself am I expecting to much.
I wake up at night and cant go back to sleep, so I gaze at my wife and admire her beauty while she sleeps
I walk through the house in the dark and cold as tears fill my eyes I wish I had my wife to hold.
I try to express to her the way I feel but all I get is a strange look and a voice saying are you for real.
I tell her I wish she could be a man for just one day so she could feel the testosterone race through her veins.
I am not perfect and I’ve made my mistakes and they race through my mind almost everyday.
I tell my wife she is the only medicine that I need and she looks down her nose and says don’t place all the blame on me.
I think my wife is very beautiful and sexy indeed and when I see her my heart skips a beat.
I sometimes awake and sit in the hallway leading to the back door and cry my eyes out because I cant handle much more
The few times my wife touches me it sends a jolt of electricity running through me ,this feeling energizes my heart and soul and gives me a reason to keep fighting on
I try to think of ways to get my wife interested in me and I’ve gotten so desperate that I offered her money
I get told by her that she is not a slut and money cant buy her feelings and touch
I wish I had the answer to all of these things that bother me because they are slowly wearing me down and killing me
I tell her that I would give my life to keep her out of harms way but if I get sick would she just toss me away
I say these things and Im not wanting your pity, just trying to keep other people from experiencing my misery
So when you go to sleep tonight just look over at your husband or wife and tell them you love them and kiss them good night.