to the child with the stuffed rabbit
I do wonder how that little girl is, how she's doing.
I have no doubt in my mind she's happy and full of life and wonder.
She's spending time tending to her stuffed animals and treating them like people, having conversations with them and engaging in discussion. Being engaged with the television as her favorite show comes back on from commercial break…
I wonder what she'd think of me.
I wonder if we'd get along.
I want to! But I think I have to remind myself where I was at that time before I meet her.
I want to remember when I was so unapologetic and happy and bright and confident and headstrong.
I want to balance that with being the open, understanding, tolerant, and kind person I've become.
We still have some of the same habits, of course.
We're still stubborn. That… might take a future me to figure out.
We're still naive, I think. But I don't think that's entirely a bad thing.
I think it's good to be naive about some things, just not ignorant.
I think we still have the same hope.
I think I lost it at one point. But lately, I've been finding the strength to take it back.
I want to be able to tell her the things I've done and the places I've been. I want her, in some ways, to be proud of me.
But, I don't think she quite has a concept of what that means. So, I'll settle for a 'good job' or even a Gasp in Amazement and Wonder.
Maybe she'll think I'm cool.
Maybe she'll love me as much as I love her.