Today is my birthday and, although I've been on this earth for 47 years today, I decided a while ago to celebrate my 8-ness a little every day. There are people, a lot of them, out there who have decided to remain 29 or even 39 forever. I remember those years and... meh. Not the best years ever. They were good, but not... years that had that something special, that magical spark.
So I started thinking: at what age are we most fearless and least concerned with social norms? At what time in our lives is everything an adventure? When are all things possible? Certainly not adulthood. Definitely not the tween or teen years! At eight, I was riding bikes with friends down to the bayou to catch tadpoles and elude imaginary villains (oops. Ah, we were actually forbidden to do this. Surprise, Mom! heh, heh) My best friend and I played Jungle - a female version of game of Tarzan is probably closest. Not Jane, because, let's face it, Jane was a big Lame-o in the adventure department! I was also going to be a star skater for the Ice Capades and write books.
The reason I began to analyze all this was I realized I wasn't really having any adventures. My life was productive and responsible and very concerned with others opinions and needs. Now, an 8 year old can be concerned with others and their needs, and also productive and responsible. But, as an adult, I was overdoing it in those areas. My spark had dimmed considerably. There was little adventure and passion. I realized I was miserable.
An eight year old is brave and adventurous, with none of the snotty angst of a teenager. (Not talking about you, Morgan. You were an awesome teenager!) They are silly and playful, but still aware of others and their feelings and needs, unlike a 3 year old. Eight year olds rock! So I decided to rejoin their ranks and have at life.
I've found I accomplish a lot more satisfying things as an eight year old, too. I decided I wanted to complete a painting in a week. A little voice inside my head was doubtful and started to list all the reasons why, but the eight year old was so enthusiastic about the challenge, the little voice was drowned out. And you know what? Today is a week and it's almost done! Here's a shot of the almost completed work. Happy Birthday to me!
Is it time to sit down on a swing and have a chat with your inner 8 year old?
