the things we remember…

aside from the style of the glasses... nothing much has changed.

I used to steal my Mom’s prescription glasses, grandfathers tweed coat and enjoy at-home haircuts. She never said no, let us run wild with our imagination and play dress up even if it ended up as our outfit that day.

When we asked if we could help her in the kitchen while she cooked, she would give us each our own bowl with flour and water. We’d sit on the floor and make “dough”. Dough people, dough pizza, dough buildings- all while getting flour on our face and in our hair.  (that was our idea of helping her in the kitchen.)

When we asked why a candle melts and then gets hard again, she would let us take melted wax and drip it on the floor to make “paintings”.  In child-like fascination we’d watch as the wax turned from liquid to solid. (that was our idea of fun.)

She used to make dolls.  Out of clay, out of cloth, or sometimes both.  And then each would be hand painted. So…

When we asked if we could help, she didn’t give us “kid” paint.  She shared her expensive “special” paint.  But when that paint spilled all over the table, there was no reprimand or anger.  She took our hands, let us paint our palms in colors Blue, Pink and Yellow, and stamp our handprints all over the round oak table.  We had that table for years. (that was our idea of art.)

There are so many little things; so many tiny gestures from our childhoods that shape us into adults.  I wasn’t told “no” and I wasn’t told “that’s impossible”.  Wasn’t told “you’re doing this wrong” and wasn’t scolded for making a mistake.  Because of that, expressing myself and falling flat on my face has never been a concern of mine.  Since the time I was little, looking like a fool or “out of the box” was embraced by my Mother.  So photos like this, where I’m cross eyed from prescription glasses, with the chapped lips I couldn’t get rid of, the old man tweed coat and DIY Haircut don’t embarrass me at all.  It just reminds me that embracing your “weird side” is the most liberating thing you can do for yourself.

Advertisement