In Which I Bring a Real-Life Discussion With Me to My Blog.

Dear Void,

Today I went to Zupas (I love Zupas. If you are hungry, you should go experience the glory.) with some of my dear friends. While we were there we started discussing the potential of love in high school--to clarify, we were discussing whether it is possible to fall in love in high school. I vote yes.

Before decide to flog me, I don't think high school is the place where most people fall so deeply in love that they are actually ready to get married (even if they think they are.) I don't think almost any high school student has the capacity to love that much.

However. I think people can love in high school. My aunt and uncle who were high school (actually, middle school) sweethearts and now have four children? I think they were probably in love in high school--you'd have to ask them to what degree. A couple of my dear high school friends? I believe them when they say they're in love because I've watched how they take care of the other person.

I don't think infatuation is love. I also DO NOT think "I love you" should be thrown around as lightly as it is.

I'm just saying I think it's possible. What do you think?

P.S. today two of the preschoolers I teach kissed. Probably the greatest thing I've ever seen. Thought I'd share.

In Which I Mock the English Language

Have you ever noticed that most of the words that mean laugh are ugly? "Giggle" is alright, but seriously, "chortle"? Who in the world thought that was a proper description of a laugh?

Sorry if you're a chortler.

"Snort"? Yes, my best friend snorts when she laughs. Lots of people snort when they laugh. It's just that I try to refer to it as laughing. "Chuckle"? Sounds completely creepy. "Snicker" is a candy bar, and an acceptable name for that. Only that.

Don't even get me started on "guffaw." Ew.

"Cackle," "titter," "cachinnate"... okay that last one is actually pretty cool. But nobody uses it--I'd never even heard of it before just now when I used the thesaurus.

My point is that we need more acceptable words to describe laughter. The ones before us are rather wretched.

Over & out.

In Which I Glory in the Sunshine of Childhood

Dear Void,

Today I went for a walk on my mountain. (Yes, like Maria in The Sound of Music, I have my own mountain. Accept it.) I went to feel the sunshine and perhaps find some Indian Paintbrush in bloom (silly me, it's much too early in the summer for that.) I had forgotten what was truly magical about my mountain: imagination blooms there as well, regardless of the season. And if you listen very quietly to what the wind says, it will tell you a story that may change your simple walk into a marvelous adventure.

Naturally, just as happened many years ago, when I left civilization behind me and entered a rocky terrain of endless possibilities, I became a princess. Don't judge. I was on a quest to find--well, I wasn't sure at first what I was hoping to find, but that is the joy of making it up as you go along. It was a dangerous quest. I had a long way to go.

Before long I entered a forest, thick with bears and wolves and possibly giraffes. Anything is possible!

Next came the exhausting battle for survival as I crossed a perilous desert. I was dying from thirst.

Thankfully, I was saved. The butterflies showed me how to get water in the desert, and I continued my quest.

After many struggles, I came to a field of flowers which were no doubt magical. I knew this was what I needed to find.

I came home from my quest, satisfied that I would save the kingdom.

Don't mock. I'm certain that my morning was more exciting than yours. I came down my mountain, and as I returned my castle became my home again, the grasslands around it my lawn. I ceased to be a princess. And yet the joy of discovery stayed with me. The magic stayed in my heart. Why is it that we ever stop playing pretend? We allow our imaginations to dwindle, and why? To be so lost in fantasies that you cannot see reality is unhealthy, yes. But I would argue that to be so lost in reality that you have no dreams at all is equally damaging. To dream is to create, to inspire, to come to life. I hope never to be so grown-up that I lose the child in my heart.

If you listen closely to what the wind says, perhaps you will hear it whisper a story to you. And if you are quiet, if you are still, if you bring with you no contention or anger, perhaps you may come with me to my mountain. And perhaps it will whisper a story to you as well. Perhaps.

Where will your imagination take you today?

In Which I Enter the Blogging Sphere

Dear Void (go watch You've Got Mail),

Today as I walked into a restroom I overheard a mother assisting her young daughter. The mother, surely with good intentions, was hurrying her daughter along so that both of them could get to their meetings. But let's be real here. Telling her daughter to hurry likely made no difference in how long she took. What struck me about the exchange was the little girl's repetition of the phrase, "I love you. I love you. I love you." She must have said it at least fifteen times. And the mother, so focused on getting to her meeting, never responded.

Now, I'm sure whoever she was she is a great mom. Obviously her daughter loves her! But I started thinking--how often do we let the opportunity to share our love slide by us? I have little doubt that if the mother had taken the moment to tell her daughter sincerely that she loved her too, she would not have been scolding the girl a minute later.

I'm aware that I have no right to judge.

I only wondered: why is it that the older we get, the harder it is to express real love? I'm not talking about a casual "love ya!" in the hallway. That's nice, but after a while it really means nothing. I'm talking about looking into someone's eyes and telling them that they matter to you. I think if we did that more as humans, there would be a lot less corruption, less pride, less anger, less selfishness.

So there's my two cents, hypocritical as it might be.

By the way, I decided to start writing a blog. I'm not really sure why, but it sounded like fun. I think I was inspired by my friend Caroline. Also, I'm addicted to writing. But as for the technological side of all this, I'm still kinda lost. Maybe I'll improve, but for now just don't worry about it! I'm here to make sweeping generalizations and the occasional profound point. Smiley face. (Ha. Haha. Okay I'm shutting up now.)

Best of luck with everything until we meet again.