I forgot to grow up. I never intended to grow up and I doubt that I ever will truly grow up. I just don’t see any reason to throw away the joy and excitement that childhood brings. I have completed so many of the grownup expectations. I graduated from college. I received a master’s degree (although I am not certain that I really used it). I had a career. In fact, I have had two very different careers. I married and I am still married after almost 40 years. We had two children. We are looking forward to grandchildren. We have bought two houses. In addition, we have a farm that is lots of fun and lots of work. I am just in charge of the meeting and greeting duties and occasional cooking. I highly doubt that anyone will every ask me to fix a tractor or cut down a tree. The repair costs after my attempts would be prohibitive.

So…I have accomplished a few grown up type items except for the farm repairs. When at the farm, I like to ride four-wheelers (once I have figured out how to get on them). It is so exhilarating to ride up and down the trails through the woods. I am not the fastest rider in Texas as my family reminds me so often. I am afraid for the four-wheeler to lean to the right or lean to the left. A slight lean and I scream. That is part of the fun.

I also have the infamous golf cart that we also ride on the trails. In golf cart circles, I am sure that riding on rough trails is a monumental no-no. However, I am enticed by the idea that I can take three other brave people with me. I always tell my passengers not to worry about wild animal attacks. I have a large hammer for protection. Ha! Ha! They think that I am joking. The hammer is it…really. There are just possibilities of seeing gigantic wild hogs, fox, coyotes, mountain lions (I may have dreamed that one up!), rampaging deer (I would not use the hammer on Bambi), alligators near the creek, and sometimes there might be snakes. Remember, there are rattlesnakes in Texas! Overall, it is a fun and bumpy ride. I have only gotten stuck once and that just lasted two hours at the most. Nothing to be concerned about. Being stuck in mud will eventually be a good memory.

My other childhood memory that I still hold dear are dolls. I love dolls of all sizes, of all shapes. If I see a Madam Alexander doll at an Estate Sale or a Garage Sale, I go almost totally crazy trying to be the first person to pick it up. Don’t get in my way at that time. Danger! I always had Madam Alexander dolls as a child and I do think that they are really beautiful. I still have my dolls and their blue boxes. Some are little dolls and a few are large dolls. I started getting these dolls for our daughter and she just was not impressed. Some people are just not doll people. She cut the hair very short on one Madame Alexander doll. I was completely shocked, but the short hair did look rather cute.

And then…Barbie came along. I did not think that she was cute…what with all those curves and all. She was just a little grown up for me. But, she had some outstanding clothes. Would you believe that I have all of my original Barbies and most all of her clothes? What a total pack-rat. Now that I have recently seen the price of those original Barbie clothes, I might lose the pack-rat title. Maybe I will be called the genius Barbie collector and I didn’t even know that I was a collector.

After Barbie, along came the best doll ever (in my mind)…the American Girl Doll! I was just mesmerized by them immediately. The details on the clothes, the history lessons, the books, the accessories…how could the doll world ever improve on the American Girl Doll? When they first came out, our daughter was about ten years old or so. She was actually just about beyond the doll age and didn’t care for them anyway. But…I had an excuse to get one! I eventually purchased three and the clothes and the accessories. They are worth A LOT now. I am hiding them from my family. They seem to think we could buy a ski boat with the profits. Well…that is a thought!

Ski boats are grown up toys, aren’t they? That might fit in with my mind set. A boat for one of those large lakes in the Ozarks would be very cool indeed. I may need to check out the situation. My main point of this rambling blog is to let you know that you don’t have to totally grow up. What you really liked as a child is what you probably really like today. See if you can make the connection. You just might have an even happier life! Bringing back part of your childhood can be an incredible gift to yourself. Do not be the least bit nervous…finding yourself is truly a joy!

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