Dreams Through the Eyes of a Child

I love the summer; it’s a time of year I feel most playful! After a long bout of winter and spring rain, I am always so excited to go play out in the sun. My kids are more energized and spirited, and that also brings out the kid in me.

What I have been noticing lately, though, is how similar their spirits are to mine as a young girl, especially my little girl. I watched her last week as she ran around in the sand, building sandcastles and danced in the water. It reminded me of how much fun I used to have doing that, but seem to refrain from as an adult (why?? So silly of me, I need to go out this weekend and make my own sandcastle!)

I also have seen her playing in her room, writing stories and music, and pretending she was a movie star—the same exact things I used to do as a little girl. I love how she has such a big smile on her face and has a blast doing these things. I hope she never forgets how much she loves it, and how talented and artistic she is. Somewhere along the way, I lost those moments, those girly dreams of mine, to be replaced by formal education, a career and motherhood. Not that all those things aren’t great—they definitely are—but with everything in my life seemingly settled, I find myself wondering, whatever did happen to those dreams?

Well I may not be a rock star or movie star, but I certainly have room in my life to be an author, sing karaoke and even try out to perform in local plays, should I be so daring. I think it’s important for all of us to remember the child within us – it certainly makes us parents better playmates with our kids, or even for those without children, more playful with our significant others, families and friends! I find that when I talk about things I used to love when I was a little girl with my kids—or better yet, show them—they love it, and we grow closer together and have a lot of fun. And I get them to open up about what they love by asking them to share back. Who says we can’t still be kids, right?

What were YOUR dreams as a child? Do you remember what you used to play all the time, pretend to be, wish to grow up and do? Today is a great day to really think about what your dreams were...and why you let them go. They were not silly; they were perhaps the clearest dreams you ever had. Time to find those lost dreams of the child you were and bring them back ♥ It does not matter whether you are single, in a relationship, a parent, a grandparent, etc; there is never a bad time or place to revisit what makes your heart happy! Have fun playing!!