While on our way to Easter dinner, my husband Michael and I took a drive through the neighborhood where he grew up. As we looked at the old houses, we began to talk about what we used to love to do as kids. I loved to spend any time I could outside digging in dirt, laying on the grass watching birds fly overhead, or sifting through rocks in a nearby stone circle looking for the perfect lucky charm to take home. Michael loved being outdoors as well, but his activities were more physical. He would take an old, broken bat into the forest near his home, toss rocks up in the air, and hit them over and over again until his hands were full of blisters. Or he would take aim at objects, and throw rocks as hard and as fast as he could, perfecting his ability to hit the target. It didn’t take long for us to realize that the activities of our youth held clues to the things we now enjoy later in life. As a grown-up, I find immense pleasure in nature. The beauty of wildlife, the ocean, trees and clouds feeds me in a way very little else does. As Michael grew up, he became passionate about baseball. From Little League to his varsity team in high school, Michael played whenever he could. He still plays today on a men’s baseball league. As our conversation continued we found more links. Michael loved doodling as a kid to curb his boredom in school. He went on to create cartoons for friends and for school projects. Today he creates funny and provocative graphic cartoons using a variety of iphone applications and photoshop tools (I’ll be posting some of them on my public facebook page soon). One of my prized possessions as a teenager was my pink princess phone. My parents and my siblings used to beg me to stop talking so they could make their calls. Who would have thought that years later I would become a coach who developed a private practice on the phone helping people to change their lives? It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon and I encourage you to give it a try. Spend some time thinking about the links between the things you loved as a kid and what you love today. Go back in time and consider those activities that used to capture your interest for hours on end. It can be a valuable exercise. After all, our past holds clues to the things that are near and dear to our hearts. A little walk down memory lane may just connect you with something you could fall in love with again today :). |
