The Inner Kid Inside Me
While my husband Bob and I were on the road last week, we kept busy doing book signings as well as visiting friends and family. Although we’re forced by the sheer number of people we want to see to keep our visits brief, we always have a great time!
Last Friday night we took our son Mike and his family (wife Norma and 5 young children, Melissa, Vaneza, Danielle, Mikey and Scarlet) to see “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” It was a huge success. I have to admit I didn’t expect to enjoy the film, but I actually did. I found myself laughing out loud, and a few times even singing along with the chipmunks! I think that’s the greatest thing about having children and grandchildren, you’re forced to revisit your childhood – although my husband Bob claims this is stretching things, since he insists I never left my childhood in the first place.
At first I wasn’t sure that I appreciated that remark; after all, I’m a serious author and screenwriter, right? Then I got to thinking about it and I had to admit that it was probably true. Actually, I guess there is still a lot of kid in me.
After all, I love to ride my bike along the beautiful Willamette River here in Eugene, I enjoy roller-blading, eating ice cream cones and watching 007, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Ring and Indiana Jones movies. And I’m usually the first person through the gate at Disneyland or Magic Mountain, and the last one to leave at night.
I love swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, roller coasters, building gingerbread houses with our grandchildren, and getting down on the floor and playing games with them. I’m still passionate about popcorn, popsicles, bubble gum and Christmas. I like to sing and dance and laugh at silly jokes – in fact, the sillier the better!
So I’m not the prim, sophisticated woman I expected to be when I reached “a certain age.” But you know, that’s all right. I love my life, along with all the wonderful people in it. Sure our family has problems – what family doesn’t – and we’ve hit some rough spots along the way. But as long as we keep the love alive and aren’t afraid to show it to each other, and as long as we always remember how to have fun, then we’ll get through it all okay.
And if that means keeping that inner kid alive inside me, so be it! After all, why would anyone want to leave behind something that’s so much fun?
Last Friday night we took our son Mike and his family (wife Norma and 5 young children, Melissa, Vaneza, Danielle, Mikey and Scarlet) to see “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” It was a huge success. I have to admit I didn’t expect to enjoy the film, but I actually did. I found myself laughing out loud, and a few times even singing along with the chipmunks! I think that’s the greatest thing about having children and grandchildren, you’re forced to revisit your childhood – although my husband Bob claims this is stretching things, since he insists I never left my childhood in the first place.
At first I wasn’t sure that I appreciated that remark; after all, I’m a serious author and screenwriter, right? Then I got to thinking about it and I had to admit that it was probably true. Actually, I guess there is still a lot of kid in me.
After all, I love to ride my bike along the beautiful Willamette River here in Eugene, I enjoy roller-blading, eating ice cream cones and watching 007, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Ring and Indiana Jones movies. And I’m usually the first person through the gate at Disneyland or Magic Mountain, and the last one to leave at night.
I love swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, roller coasters, building gingerbread houses with our grandchildren, and getting down on the floor and playing games with them. I’m still passionate about popcorn, popsicles, bubble gum and Christmas. I like to sing and dance and laugh at silly jokes – in fact, the sillier the better!
So I’m not the prim, sophisticated woman I expected to be when I reached “a certain age.” But you know, that’s all right. I love my life, along with all the wonderful people in it. Sure our family has problems – what family doesn’t – and we’ve hit some rough spots along the way. But as long as we keep the love alive and aren’t afraid to show it to each other, and as long as we always remember how to have fun, then we’ll get through it all okay.
And if that means keeping that inner kid alive inside me, so be it! After all, why would anyone want to leave behind something that’s so much fun?
posted by Shirley Tallman at
10:30 AM
1 Comments:
Shirley, roller blading? wow you go that's great!! I was never good at skating in my earlier years.It's hard at times to relive my childhood with my kids because i didn't have a ipod stuck in my ear or tinkering my fingers on a gameboy or having a phone glued to my ear at consistant times of the day or watching the disney channel and nickalodian. My days are best remembered playing barbies , make believe, playing with kids in the neighborhood , then when i was older, riding my horse, and 4-wheeler and going to dances at a local church. Gosh i just realized how differently we've grown up. However we do all enjoy Christmas in our house and we do laugh alot I feel like with so many mother's that work mother's have tried to cater to their kids to make them happy to make up for not being able to be there maybe i'm wrong on that but up untill 2 years ago i was guilty of that.Good post though it's enlightened me a bit to some things i could do differently.
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