LIFE LESSON # 43 ~Shine Bright

Life is such a crazy, beautiful mixed up mess isn’t it?  Personally, I’ve never fit into a box and truthfully I don’t ever remember worrying about it.  I never wanted to be normal. I was happy coloring outside the lines, being the nerd or geek who spent her day’s slaying dragons, conquering Lex Luther and Toy Man, following Frodo into Mount Doom or simply lost in a book for hours.  I was the girl into Dr. Who before it was cool. I lived and breathed comic books, jumping off dressers yelling “Wonder Woman” and singing to myself. I was THAT girl. 

Reckless, abandoned and free in a world chained to ordinary, I was brought up to believe I could be anything or anyone I wanted to be.  I was different and that was a marvelous trait as far as my parents were concerned. They supported my creativity and encouraged my never-ending journey into imagination. To let sparks fly, to own who I was and not apologize for it. My feet were never on the ground, but my roots were tied down strong. I was always off on an adventure somewhere.  I was born a dreamer, a spitfire, a real spark plug, burning bright from the inside out. I haven’t really changed much since the day I came into this world; I still have a contagious zeal and love for life, full of anticipation of what’s to come.

My secret, well, I simply live my life: as real as I can. I dress for myself, with my own sense of style not what’s trending. I stay current with my passions; keep the fires burning inside my soul. I’m not tied down to any one interest or afraid to try something new though my kids would say Star Wars probably has the biggest hold on my geek radar.  Age is inevitable, but living young, well that’s a completely different thing.  I believe we are only as old as we think we are.

Not too long ago I was asked by an older book clerk how I looked and seemed to stay so young. To be honest I was taken back, I hadn’t thought of myself like that before. I paused, thinking about what to say to him and then I smiled and said, “I just live. I still play with my kids, listen to what they are listening to, read till I’m full, dress up in costumes, ride the big coasters, spin inside the tea cups, cast my line in the ocean, scream like a wild child when my baby boy score’s on the net, smooch with my hubby whenever I feel like it, smack his butt when he least expects it. I find delight in smooshing a cupcake across his unsuspecting face and always, always embrace the silly side of life.  I just live. “

Life Lesson # 43, Shine bright, be your own kind of beautiful and live YOUR life, simply, beautifully. Yes, I’m still slaying dragons, chasing villains, and coloring outside the lines. I could probably open my own library at this point. You can still find me singing to myself every night in the kitchen and shhh… secretly wearing my Wonder Woman underoos too.

What I do know after over four decades of living is this: Life is strange, chaotic, interesting and never dull that’s for certain. And you know what? I’m good with it. Funny how life’s little ironies play out isn't it? Today as I write Life Lesson # 43, I am celebrating my 43^rd birthday. Some years they’re small, quiet, intimate and others are loud, boisterous, rowdy events that could wake the dead.  This year was the latter. June ended  with a bang, giving me the gift of yet another brilliantly lit candle on my cake surrounded by family, friends but most importantly by those who both love and accept me exactly as I am. After all (leaning on a Dr. Who reference), “ain’t no party like a timelord party because a timelord party is not bound by typical temporal parameters AND THUS DOESN’T STOP.” 

~Christina