Candy

I can feel every ache and pain today. Some days are like that. And then I look at pictures from days gone by and I do not recall pain, I was oblivious to pain. There would be lots of days in my future that would provide me with detailed descriptions of pain in a variety of circumstances and body parts, but oh the joys of youth. If it hurt, it was only for a moment. Then the pain either went away or someone offered you a candy and you experienced an immediate onset of amnesia. I have tried candy today, no such luck. I could play volleyball tournaments with a broken wrist or march with a broken foot. Today a hang nail can do me in.
I think maybe the difference is that the ingredients in the candy are different, or I no longer delight in simple distractions. I could say that if anything my focus on days like today are concentrated and intensely focused on the symptom. Only a Butterfinger Blizzard has any chance of providing a diversion but my guess is that would be short lived too. And i would have to drive somewhere to get it. See it is already too much work.
Interesting as I consider this shift in our focus with age. When we are young we think of the world, things "out there" and we want to explore. We can ignore say, a fractured left arm with the right incentive, which for me was trick or treat. The hopes of a full basket of goodies was enough incentive for me to hide it. I was 9 after all. Note to self: never play with a footsie. Of course after I realized I could not carry the basket as it got weighted down with loot causing me to drop it repeatedly I had to go home and fess up.
As you age though there is this "middle earth" place where you start to focus on the changes in your body. Things hurt, no longer move the same or smell the same or well, look the same. A polar shift occurs with silent quakes and the next thing you know is you suffer from a furniture problem. Your chest has fallen into your drawers. And the things you used to eat and drink without a second thought cause toxic repercussions with sounds you only used to see in movies. And you talk about it, all the time, every where, with anyone. And they have it too!
But it seems at the end of this life journey we may be given a reprieve and one more tiny glimpse of those care free days. Whether it is less pain or the inability to remember you hurt, things seem to mellow. You don't talk about your complaints as much maybe because you can't hear the sounds, and your sniffer has gone cold and well really, how upset can a stomach get with mashed potatoes and toast. Things calm down. We get a little flash of the past. And you might even get the opportunity to recall those good old days when you used to do everything without a care. When you had no recollection of pain and a piece of candy was the ticket to a great day. Have some candy today.

Time

TIME! I do not seem to have enough of it. Even now during this unexpected "free" time I am booked solid. And I can not understand why having gained 10 or more hours a day from the loss of a job has not created a huge amount of leisure time for me. Hmmmmm I don't know how a clock actually works. By my calculations I should have gained roughly 1080 hours or 45 full days. Haven't seen them anywhere! Matter of fact that clock spins around like the Price is Right Wheel.
Of course I had an accident which has consumed 12-18 hours a week in therapy, appointments and associated travel time. And I spent the first few weeks sleeping A LOT! So that being considered I should still have noticed a large gap, an empty calendar day, some free time. Then it hit me like a tsunami.
How many times do we go about our daily lives and say "Oh dear, I can't do that because I have to work" or "I have an appointment" or "I have to bowl". And so we put those other things on a list for some free time, an open moment on the calendar. That list gets long. It grows like that weed in your garden you can't make go away. I will have pages of things needing to get done, and as you know from your list, they are things I may never do. For example there is no need to buy those replacement special water proof mattress covers anymore as your child was potty trained three years ago. Scratch that one right off. Or you no longer need to send a wedding gift or card to the Jones' as that was last year and now they are having a baby. Could send it all at once but who are we kidding. Send a baby gift, maybe go ahead and purchase the game boy as it is likely you won't mail it for 4 1/2 to 6 years when you find it in the drawer you are cleaning out. For those of you who know me and are waiting for something, it is either lost, too late, or donated as I couldn't remember what I got it for.
This reflection was the result of an overcrowded schedule just yesterday. Started with a weekly breakfast with a friend, then to a special event with my son, then cleaning, several loads of laundry, cooking, cleaning, falling into a dead sleep with the TV still on.....and nobody better say it's my age.
My one goal was to write every day, my other goal was not to bore any one. But as it stands I have already blown one......So back to the schedule thing, I am going to try a new strategy, schedule TIME for the things that are important and let the rest fall on the list. That will require me to first start a list of what is important. What is not negotiable. What will benefit those who are a priority to me. Those things will be given VP status on my calendar, and the rest will fall on the list. So I guess the question is, have any of you experienced a lack of time? An inability to do everything it is you would like to do or think needs to be done? Then join me on this venture to make a "list", prioritize and reorganize and see if we can get a handle on our TIME! I will let you know how that goes.......when I have time.

Reach Out and Touch Someone

Communication happens in many ways, though the technological age has erased much of the evidence. I remember letters. Paper sheets with writing that arrived in envelopes and sometimes might include a small black and white photo or a nice bookmark to treasure. Someones actual hand took time to hold a pen, write the words with errors intact and paid a small postage to send a warm greeting your way.
And then there was the telephone. Not the cell phone equipped with text, Im, photo and GPS but the 45 pound black desk model with a cord long enough to tie up your sibling should they annoy you. The loud RING RING and the rotary dial. It took work to make that call. You could hear the voice on the other end and you knew you had made contact.
Now we are in the space age with things moving at the speed of speed! Whipping around in the great cyber abyss are zillions of communications all simultaneously traveling to a lucky recipient. The communication happens so fast that in a blink it is over, done, and most often forgotten. No tangible record it ever occurred in most cases as people make room for more communication by hitting delete. Delete! Gone are the pieces of our history, memories of our day, tokens of affection. Gone! And it leaves me wondering often, where does it go, how does it get there, did it get there, is it like a beam from Star Trek?
I have tried to save some of this cyber info and it is impossible to track and salvage the blips of conversation that occur. Instead of one conversation or a two page letter you get forty individual texts in reply to your forty individual text. And we don't even use real words...LOL. While these moments provide instant, momentary gratification, like many bad habits we can develop, it is short lived. In a week or a month we will not remember what day we talked to who about what and why we were interested in whatever it was anyway.
Then there is my garage. With large tubs of cards, letters, and pictures drawn from friends and family past. I can touch them, reread them and remember that moment in time. While downsizing is popular I have yet o be able to just toss things away. I am trying to sort through and keep only those cards with actual letters or notes included, instead of those simply signed Love Someone. But even then I think someone one spent their hard earned money on that card and mailed it, and now it is a keepsake because Garfield is out but he was so in when it was mailed. I could start my own museum of historical and some hysterical communications.
On the bright side, at least people are staying in touch. My nephews for instance, won't write, rarely call and only occasionally will use email. BUT the will text, send me elves who dance and pictures of what ever they are doing. So in it's own way, maybe it has changed who will reach out and touch someone. Certainly those cards and letters were not from the youth of the day but parents, siblings, grandparents, and a few friends.
I guess the important thing is whatever method is for you, call, text, tweet, email or write someone you love. Just Reach out and touch someone! It is a great thing for you to stay in touch, but, for that person receiving your message it is pure Gold!

Smile

You know what it is like. You are surrounded by cameras, camcorders and people mashing your cheeks. "Say Cheese". Toys waggling around, things making squeaky noises, photographer making silly faces. And this was for your name badge at your new job. It never really changes. We are trained like Pavlov's dog as infants that when we see a small black box or see bright lights it is not the coming of Jesus but one of our inspired old people trying to capture a memory.
Back in the 1800 and early 1900's if you had a single photo album to pass on to your children you were doing good. But now you hand down a zipped up wallet holding 600 photo discs. I know! I am already on my third and my son is only 13. Whew. It is crazy, but then maybe that is what we are planning for, when we loose our minds for good.
My dad had that movie camera with the flood lights. Blinded you while you were standing in another room. "Smile" he would chime. I was lucky just to keep my eyes from watering let alone release my tightly grimaced face. And if I did actually open my eyes I was unable to see for the rest of the morning. Opening gifts on Christmas was more like reading Braille. "Oh it feels like a doll. Thanks!" Then I would hear "Smile" and the flash from the Brownie camera would go off.Back to my braille..
There have been a long line of "flashers" that have left countless children sightless. One of my favorites was "the cube". The flat 120 camera with the tower and square cube on top. It would flash and then spin for a continuous photo opportunity. "Smile", flash, "Smile", flash, "Smile" flash........
The worst were the outdoor pictures. Facing directly into the 2 pm sun, waiting several minutes for the film to be advanced, then the command would come. "Smile" and you would try, eyes watering so badly that you looked like you have had some terrible life event like you are grounded for an hour, or some such. And you knew you were not going anywhere until the old people were satisfied so you tried your hardest not to cry and then smile without blinking. There are a lot of tortured looking pictures from the 60's and 70's. Thank God for fill flash and digital cameras. No more are we stuck with bad photos, we click Delete:)
Well a good thing that came from all that abuse was that we were taught to SMILE. Whether you felt like it or not, you knew that you were going to be faced with that picture on the wall for the rest of your life. Smile. And really how hard is it to smile. I liked the analogy in View from the Top. The stewardess learns to smile even when they are out of nuts or bloody mary mix. Just do it, try!I know you can. It is so much easier to do and live with then consequences that come from an angry temperament. It goes along with letting stuff roll off your shoulders, forgiveness, grace, mercy and joy. It's all good. Let it go and "Smile" Flash

Independence

As the youngest I was fortunate to always get my way or so it goes in many family story telling sessions. I got it all, while the elders were without, struggling, hardly a toy to play with, fruit in their stocking and no presents at Christmas. Okay my memory may not be completely correct on some of the facts but I know that somebody only had fruit for Christmas. Anyway, I do know that while I was often given a ride or carried around, I had to learn to make my own way.
When I was young, I was the baby. When I was older I was an only child. That may sound impossible but it was true. My siblings left home when I was still young. So I had the best and worst of both worlds.
When there were others around I could get support, ride on their coat tales or dig through their dresser drawers. And it was always "their" fault, whoever "their" was. Never my fault. He did it, she did it, they made me do it. All I know is I was more then happy to point some fingers and there were some pretty good finger pointing
duels over the years.
When I was older however I no longer had a wagon to hitch my trouble to. I was the only one home so no matter what it was going to be me that took the fall. And while I do not believe in ghosts I often accused some unseen force of committing the crime. "I don't know who did it, I just know it wasn't me." to which I would hear "Well I don't see anyone else around, do you?" It was worth a shot, can't blame a gal for trying.
The one thing that became evident very early in my only child phase was that there was going to be more opportunity for me to decide what to do, where to go, who to hang out with. It was a lot of fun and yet a bit lonely. I had to learn to entertain myself, and explore to see what I liked. In the past it had always been what the group wanted to do or where the parents wanted to take us. Suddenly the old people would throw their eyes on me and say "Well, where do you want to go?" It took quite awhile for me to get used to the responsibility and to think of what it was that I liked.
I had to begin exploring who I was and who I wanted to be. I was not a little sister or a pain in the rear (though I believe that is still open for discussion) but I was an individual being requested to have an independent thought. At that young tender age I had to make life changing decisions such as do we go see "Yellow Submarine" or "Robin Hood" (the Disney cartoon version). Or what building of the Smithsonian do you want to see? That really is an enormous decision because there are like 100 buildings with enough artifacts to entertain a person for 20 lifetimes.
I become an only child and was encouraged to start making decisions about myself. The combination of both childhood experiences has given me great confidence as an adult. I always have the support of my siblings. I have learned to enjoy my independence and make those big decisions because I know I will have those siblings to pick me up if I need it.

Memories

"Are we there yet?" I know for our family trips that question started in the driveway. We had to share the back seat, three of us. I of course the adorable yet baby sister won(?) the center seat, floor hump and all. The elders had either door seat with a view. The old people drove and were essentially oblivious to the suffering of the baby sister :) Where's my door? Why can't I sit by the window? How am I going see? Pay attention to Me, Me, Me!
Then the parents would start the car. From the time the car started down the highway we were diverted and the adventures began. We were Air Force brats so traveling was part of the family job description. They give you a paper that says "Serve your country and move often." Not really, but it was like being in the witness protection program. Where will we live tomorrow, who will we talk to, do they have a Dinosaur there?
The really great part was the memories we made in the process. We saw everything. We were always off to a historical monument, museum, beach, air base or park. We enjoyed every environment at some point during our youth including mountains, plains, oceans, islands, small towns and major cities. We SAW the country where as today most people can not even tell you about it like where Baltimore is or whether it is a state or amusement park. The best part was, we did it together.
As my family has aged they enjoy recalling all of these memories. It is as enjoyable today as the day it happened. We have fun retelling the events, and for a brief moment everyone looks a bit younger.
That is the element of my life I try hardest to bring into MY families life today. Even my house is like a little "tour of the country". Each room has a different theme; farming in one room, palm trees and golf in another, antiques in another, western theme in another and even my laundry room is decorated. It is my little museum of art. It is beautiful and I don't mind being in there doing the chores.
We don't isolate to our cave and clan but engage in the human race. We leave the house and try to venture to different places, do new things and avoid the rut. We spend time with family and friends. We go, we see, we do! Then we can sit in our home, look at our pictures and have some good laughs. Memories!

What If?

Well it is a new day and a new year. What will I do this wonderful year? I can remember when I used to dream I would skydive or go river rafting without a vest:) Well a funny thing I have noticed is that as I age I suddenly have greater reservations about the things I will do. I think about family and my mortality more, and ask "What if?" alot. What if something happens? What if I get hurt? What if I don't like it? What if I change my mind?
When I look at people who do great things I think they may ask the same question but perhaps put the emphasis on a different syllable. Instead of "what if" we die or get lost or have to eat at a greasy diner in the Himalayas, they think "what if" we meet a villager who shares their only banana or "what if" we sail all the way around the world without sinking or "what if" we land on the moon? It literally changes from Oh Dear to Oh Boy!
I used to think that way all the time, never a negative concern or worry, which could explain my many broken bones and the constant redirection from countless old people. While I am not trapped in caution, I do have to fight it more. I don't want to worry about the "what ifs" for things going wrong but the "what if" I don'ts thinking about the things I might miss.
I am grateful I did not grow up afraid to venture. I would have missed venturing into unexplored Virginia woods and discovering Hannah and Silas Burke's' headstones. A great find for the town of Burke and their relatives and a whole Tom Sawyer kind of adventure for 4 bored girls.
I would have missed painting murals in Tulsa at a children's school or at a Vermillion college dorm despite my lack of any exceptional art skills. They came out all right too. Took second place in the contest. Go Team!
I would have missed getting thrown from a horse, working as a volunteer on a rural ambulance and camping in the Red River Gorge. And I would have missed traveling into Mexico to a remote community to stay at an orphanage and do repairs to their homestead or traveling around the world to India to teach college students and meet people in jungle villages. I would have missed seeing great things happen miraculously, the kind I had only read about in the Bible. I would have missed it all.
I remember where I was when the Apollo landed on the moon. Watching on our 21 inch black and white television we watched intently and captured the image when they touched down. I remember thinking "Wow, what if they hadn't gone?" But they did and they made it and they walked on the moon! I want to do that, don't you?
So as I start out my new year I am going to capture every thought and look at the possibilities instead of the risk. I am going to dream of the future and not focus on the past. I am going to land on the moon, well, not really but you get the drift. It is a chance to take steps and have a grand adventure. I am ready!

Jer 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A Birthday Carol

I love birthdays. A great time for reflection of days gone by, a review of the joys of today and the anticipation of hopes realized. Kind of like a Christmas Carol only with cake and candles instead of ghosts and chains....hmmmm. I have had a rich and adventurous life. My childhood was always an adventure waiting to happen. The daughter of an Air Force man we were able to travel, and live in a variety of states. I was at Disneyland in 1966, when it was only a few years old and full of every girls dream characters like Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. A day and age when the "Flight to the Moon" ride seemed like a real adventure, even though it just jiggled and made noise like when the washer is off balance. I was in South Dakota, living at the Star Motel and visiting the local Dinosaur Hill attraction. I don't need to describe it, just imagine two, 2-story Dino the dinosaur's on a hill. And yes, that was all there was to see:)
I was in Washington D.C.and Virginia in the late 60's and early 70's during the Vietnam war and the resignation of Nixon. We visited every historical park and museum in a 3 state area including a "must see" trip to Hershey Chocolate factory in PA. I returned to South Dakota to celebrate the landing of the satellite that fell from space and to see the attempted assassination of Reagan. I finally reached an age of independence where I was able to freely roam and make my own decisions, many we don't discuss to this day, but mostly good ones:) I have lived in Arizona for the past 24 years. I actually moved here for my 25th birthday because "I was cold". Sounds like a logical reason to make a life altering decision. I have been here for every major news event and watched most of them nonstop on TV such as the wedding of Princess Diana, the death of the Princess, the coming of age of Tiger Woods golf game, the anniversary of Barbie and the end of Montgomery Wards. I have passed all my landmark birthdays without landing in jail, or having my cake set the house on fire. I have shared those happy memories with dear family and or friends. What I notice most often is the presence or absence of those you have come to know. Sometimes it is geography that changes the landscape of a party, you have moved or people have moved, or even passed away. Sometimes it is relationship that alters who is there, they do or don't have you in their speed dial any longer. And sometimes it is due to situations that change. Family changes, friends change, schedules change, vision changes, life changes. It is at my birthday that I remember those that have passed through my life and in being a part have made it richer. They have made a contribution, whether it was pleasant or not to experience, and it has made me who I am today. I never hold a grudge, I never remain angry, I do not remember offences (that was true even before I got so old). These things just make you self absorbed, bitter and unable to really enjoy life to it's fullest. I do always forgive, always forget and always have a hug waiting. It makes everyday a great adventure and each year fun to celebrate when you don't carry so much luggage. So I want to say Thank You for being a part of my "Birthday Carol".

2 Timothy 1:3
... I thank God for you—the God I serve with a clear conscience, just as my ancestors did. Night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. (NLT)

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace. (NKJV)

My Sisters Keeper

Being the youngest has it's advantages. For instance, there is no real purpose in learning to talk, or walk, or make any major decisions. The "elders" will do that for you. Whether it is out of desire to pamper or teach you, or just simple frustration from waiting for you to "do" something is another thing all together. But lets say for now, it is because they want to teach or pamper you. How much fun is it to have a younger sister.
If you are an older sister it is a great chance to play mom, practice nurturing and score points helping the mom. The mom always needs help, even if they don't work. There is going to be an event mom needs help preparing for, or cooking for or setting up the card tables for. Or there may be a babysitting opportunity which permits practice with "parenting" like establishing a bedtime or taking away dessert. And if you are an older brother it is to teach you self defense when being attacked by a wild tickle monster, the kind that won't quit until you are blue, you wet your pants or a parent says stop. Or it might be to teach you to share, say, the last soda which if poured by the brother will always yield him a larger portion once the foam goes down. Hmmmm
Not that my siblings did all these things, though there are many tales that will come up in the future writings I am sure. But the one thing I know is that my siblings cared for me. They protected me and made sure that I did not do dangerous things like stick my tongue on a cold metal pole in the winter, or run away without properly packing my bags. They taught me to laugh, a lot! Often at nothing but a simple noise, like a hotel toilet that kept flushing all night long in the room overhead....splurge. Or a funny card on a birthday. Humor and laughter have kept us entertained for hours and given memories for retelling years down the road.
What I see now is a generation that is often self absorbed, missing the humor in the comic strips, or the fun that can be had playing cards until 2 a.m. with a table full of family or friends. They are techies, fixated on electronics; cell phones, gameboys, Facebook, computers......well, okay, you are on the computer now so that may include you! But the point is there is more out there than staring at a box. Perhaps it is that this cyber generation is finding relationships hard because they have fewer of them from the get go.
They are placed in front of the mighty TV, then transitioned to the Xbox without a single human interaction. Thank God for the Wii. At least most of those games require movement or we would all become true couch potatoes.
My advice is whether you have an interactive family or a group of friends who are able to complete a declarative sentence, plan a non-electronic event which will require conversation, touch and perhaps some good old fashioned laughter. Find some joy in the day, create a memory, have fun and laugh! Thanks siblings for making my life so rich and teaching me to laugh:)

Learning to Read

I enjoy reading. My parents read to me often and there were always plenty of books, magazines, newspapers and candy wrappers for me to read. Okay, the wrappers were mine, but the point is I love to read. I learned to read by looking at pictures first. You remember, See Jane Run, and there she was in the picture, running. Piece of cake. Then there were more complex readings such as Peanuts, Nancy Drew, Garfield and other highly intellectual volumes. It opened the world up to anyone who turned the page. Of course, recognizing reality versus fiction can be a challenge for many.
Some people I know well read Star or the Enquirer and take it as gospel, even if they know in their mind that people can not grow fins. There was a picture:) That is probably the result of those Dick and Jane books, kind of like Pavlovs dog.
Reading encouraged me to be creative, dream, challenge and question. So starting at an early age I questioned things like, why my snack is artificially flavored instead of real or why the risks to take the medications for my medical condition are significantly more terrible then the risk of the condition.
And now the world is available with a simple click of the mouse. I can look up anything, anywhere, anytime. Cool. Of course I heard a joke once that was relavent when playing around with my cyber library. It talked about the link for the 1st search hit and the last. Completely different, completely unrelated and yet all 1,987,000 came up with the word search "gonorrhea". Just try it. Enter a search for say "vaccines". 12,000,000 hits. Who has time to review all 12 million to evaluate whether or not to give their kid a vaccine or to take the flu shot or if they even come from a reliable source. And by the time you get to the last hit it will likely have nothing to do with vaccines or immunizations or world peace at all. The world knowledge bank is dangerous to say the least.
I continued my reading quest throughout my school years, searching for things that interested me. It always came back to adventures in far away places, reading and medicine. I love medicine. It may be related to my frequent visits to doctors, hospitals, emergency rooms, etc, etc from an early age of 2. I decided early on that my job in life would be to take care of everyone else. But first I had to take the next 12 years to get a grasp on a few concepts like English, writing, math, science, band and volleyball. Yes they were all equally important. These would take me years to master, or quit and truthfully I am still not quite proficient at English. Thank God for spell check and tools to upgrade your work to at least a sixth grade level (I don't think that tool is available here). But the beauty is that no matter what or how I learned in the early years I am still learning now. I still read Garfield and I still love adventure and the truth is I still love taking care of everyone else. I am still learning about the me that is yet to be. Think I will sit back and read a good book.

Boundaries

Boundaries are a set of limitations or expectations placed on an individual. They have their first influence during infancy when adorable happy children are placed in small confined spaces. They continue on through life and come in many forms such as rules, regulations, social rankings, professional practice and more. As a child you can be very content with boundaries, and in fact your behavior implies that you felt safe when you knew that there was a perimeter of safety, aka walls, bars, cribs or play pens. So why is it as we grow up that we often come to view boundaries as a threat fighting them off like a mid evil dragon?
I have often fought my way out of confinement. I rattled those crib rails until the mounting came loose which confirmed there is more than one way to get free. I constantly traveled to places I wanted to go and I did it my way. Wasn't that a song? I hear stories about lacing my own shoes at a very young age. I refused help or direction. I did not want to tie my shoes singing that bunny song but wanted to tie them in loops and knots of my own design. Of course this would eventually require help from an old person as my way was not always the effective way to secure shoes before taking up walking.
I think about rules; don't walk barefoot on hot pavement, no smoking in airplane bathrooms, or no pets in the restaurant (which I think should seriously be reconsidered after seeing what a table full of children can do to the floor). Most rules are there to keep us safe even if they may at times be inconvenient. In most cases as I have aged I have come to accept rules and have developed a respect for their intent. I must confess that i will even use them to eliminate an annoying presence in the room. Sorry neighbors with barking dogs.
Regulations or laws on the other hand are tied to a number of factors such as personal gain, moral influence, popularity, lobbying, etc. Think about regulations in the news today. We regulate who can purchase a hand gun for instance which is great, but then we permit those folks to carry them in to a bar, with alcohol. Am I the only one who can see a possible situation here? In these cases I can see that boundaries are not as clear cut, maybe don't make sense and we may no longer feel safe. As a matter of fact it may actually cause us to question our own beliefs about boundaries.
Social rankings or cast systems are alive and well. We even have organizations that will try to stretch the boundaries to give preferential treatment to one group over another, or to promote changes to a regulation or law which blurs the boundary for a particular group. We can no longer be certain what is or is considered to be right, acceptable, safe. At times it seems that the mid evil dragon is back in the room.
And then there is the whole work thing. Where every position has role expectations, goals, evaluation criteria, career ladders, reporting structures and more. And don't be the one to cross a line or boundary in your role, rank, or influence. That is when we find the full effect of boundaries as grown ups. You have probably heard someone say they would like to do something but there hands are tied. There are limitations or expectations that prevent them from doing something. There are boundaries they can not pass.
On the bright side, we also can set our own boundaries. What we will or won't allow in our home, what we will or won't do on a date, and what we will or won't watch on our television screen. Boundaries. They can be that line in the sand for us, or that wall that is impassable or that cage we can not get out of.
It seems that boundaries are with us throughout life, though their effectiveness or purpose may vary. For me I am glad I escaped from the crib, safely navigating into adulthood. And I have to confess that I have not always stayed within the boundaries and have had to deal with the consequences of those deviations. Truthfully I have often thought about that crib. When the boundaries have been blurred or crossed or challenged I have longed for the security of those four crib walls with my mom sitting close by and the television playing in the background. I am glad I started with good, well defined boundaries. Good job parents:)