21 Years Ago Today...

Elena at age 10 in Tombstone AZ

One of my grandchildren is turning 21 today...remember that day in your life?

I was at a party with family and all of my midlife friends. We were talking about turning 21 and almost everyone had a story to tell. On the day they turned 21 there were things that they did to mark the anniversary...parties with friends, beer, revelry! Wow, I thought. I have no memories of that day at all. What is that all about?

So today I am invited to go on a wine tasting tour with my grandchild, her mother and her sister-in-law. I feel like it is my birthday because that is what I would have chosen...life is good isn't it? I hope Elena is as happy as I am and I hope when she is old, she has wonderful memories of this day.

What a beautiful day.

Happy Birthday Elena!

b+ (Grandma)

Why reinvent yourself...you're perfect just like you are?

I always thought that Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Suess, knew more about reinvention that anyone around. Our children learned about reading and adventure and laughing from him. He taught them that they were perfect just the way they were.

For those of us that were not raised with Dr. Suess, the lessons were just as meaningful. Hidden between the words and in the poetry were lesson on courage and enduring adversity and finding adventure. But best of all there were lessons on challenging ourselves to be the very best we could be.

I have always thought that one of his very early books, Happy Birthday to You, taught the most important lesson of all. Here is the much quoted phrase that has managed to survive for over 50 years:

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you! ( Dr. Suess1959)

In his book Oh, the Places You'll Go, the good Dr. Suess led the reader down the garden path of possibilities and adventure. He told us “It's opener, out there, in the wide, open air.” It was almost a dare...step out that door and see what there is. His belief was that the adventure of learning was the magic key to all the things that are possible. 

But Dr, Suess warned that things might not go right, not all of the time. The mountains were high and the valleys were deep. He said, “I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.” He asked, "Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?” His call to bravery resonates with the old and the young. 

But in the end he always managed to find just the right note...the one that had the reader believing that, no matter what you do, whether you succeed or you fail, the adventure was worth it. 

"...you're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way"

When he reminded us that we are who we are, I think he was telling us that reinvention is not about changing ourselves. It is about deciding to be the very best person we can be. Because in the end you all know "there is no one alive who is you-er than you!" I think he would say you are perfect just like you are. But if you think you can be "perfecter" then go climb that mountain that is waiting...get on your way!

Have a happy day.

b+

Note: Thank you to Brainy Quotes for making my writing easy and to Yahoo Answers for the complete words to Oh the Places You'll Go.
Posted for Generation Fabulous "Reinvention" Bloghop