As sprightly youngsters, my sisters and I, in rough and ready pairs or trios, would joust each other freely, using whatever straightish sort of twigs we could find. Stick-sword-fighting was one of our favorite pastimes, or at least it was mine. (I may be coloring their experiences with my own...)
Once, when I found a long thin metal rod, I thought my elevation to knighthood was assured; here was a real sword made of metal, not wood! I felt all-powerful and quickly defeated all twig-bearing opponents.
I've wondered at times, in the years since being that rather fierce five or six-year-old, where exactly all my courage and boldness boiled away to.
When I think of my personality now, I consider myself a shy person, prone to being rather withdrawn or even hesitant to interact with others. And yet, now I wonder whether shyness was something I was born with or if it was something I decided I was, and then became.
Would that five-year-old with mud on her shoes and hair wisping from a lopsided ponytail recognize the cautious creature she has become?
I think I need to find a stick one of these days and shake it a few times at the current dragons in my life. Maybe if I beat them about the head a bit they'll leave me alone. If I bruise them, perhaps they'll respect me. And if I leave them limping and fleeing away, maybe I'll find that I'm still courageous and bold after all.
Nah.
6 comments:
Funny you should write about this - I've been thinking about this a lot lately too - except that I never was brave - I wanted to have magic powers to make myself invisible. Turns out I didn't need them - I AM invisible!
So Pat, if you're invisible, who's the cute gal in your picture?
Beth, even if a good thumping doesn't make you're dragons run away, it would at least remind them they're not in charge. Dragons get cocky very easily, if we let them. :)
P.S. Joy says hi. If you want to see a few pictures, check out our family blog at http://www.hendricksonfamilyblog.blogspot.com/ It's not as cool as your blog, but we do our best.
oh beth- I have a small hankering ( must be a redneck word) to wrap a tiny stick and send it to you- i think you would REALLY get a good laugh.... hmmm...
hugs- ann
Heehee! I just got a laugh reading that, Anne. :^)
And Pat--you are SO not invisible! I mean, unless you are, which means that I can't see you...which means I don't really know if you're invisible or not... Hm... If you ARE invisible, does this mean that you do secret Mission Impossible type stuff in the warehouse? WAAAAY COOL! I think I need to be invisible too!
And Kim--Joy! Joy is...just...wow. She is an amazingly beautiful baby. I likes her muchly. And her hair! It's so dark! And there's so much of it! And her eyes are so pretty! Sigh. One of these days I'm going to have to meet her in person.
She'd like that. :)
What - THAT picture? ...that's the me of several years ago - she doesn't exist anymore!
...and no, no secret missions, but those shelves in the warehouse are pretty tall, and when one is standing in the midst of them, one does betimes overhear things one probably shouldn't...Ooops! shouldn't have admitted that! (eyes shifting back & forth in search of onlookers)
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