I really loved this post! The quote in the opening image immediately reminded me that all of my son's major milestones have happened in his own time—when he was ready. Not when we tried to help, not when a teacher tried to help. The other day at the park, he just started swinging all on his own, actually getting higher and higher. We were shocked, but it was a humbling reminder that things just click for him when the timing is right, like that moment.
I also really resonated with the part about being told you could only draw flowers as a teen. As a designer, I get a similar reaction—people assume I can illustrate anything or that I should be talented in all areas of art.
And I love seeing threads of things we’ve loved since childhood/teen years. I feel more like myself at almost 37 than I did throughout my 20s. It’s so wild (or maybe humbling?) to look back and realize my teen self would actually be proud of who I am today.
My daughter has been my greatest teacher. I watch what she goes through and remember myself at all those stages. She was born with a heart problem. We have always had to let her find her own pace. It has really taught me that everyone has their own pace. To tune out the hustle culture and take more time. So glad the post found you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I'd love to see your mushroom lights. They sound so fun. "Can't you draw anything but flowers?" Hahahaha! I don't see anything wrong with that. 🥰
And Happy Birthday month! My birthday is the 22nd. I love having a spring birthday. Everything's starting to wake up and it's the beginning of a new year. Let's keep believing that anything is possible!
I LOVE a March birthday. Mine is the 9th. My husband just bought me a pot of tulips. All those spring vibes. Natural Life used to sell these tiny little toadstool mushroom lights. They just delight me.
Thank you for this post. I'm reading it in the morning before anyone else is awake, except the chickens. Lol. "It was born knowing..." I love this. This reminds me of two things. One, how much I don't agree with the popular quote "bloom where you are planted" as it implies that you need to settle for less and just force yourself to be authentic in an environment that isn't right for you. I get that this quote has good intentions on the surface though. But for me, as my teens struggled through our public school system a few years ago, I came across the saying "When a flower doesn't bloom, you don't change the flower, you change the environment." And it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so perfect to hear at that time. It changed my thought process about the school issues and we were able to switch them to public online school (before Covid!) where they thrived and had space to heal from the damage our chaotic, stressful public high school caused. Those two have graduated and are thriving. Our youngest is now in online school as a sophomore and also loving it (although his switch was at the start of middle school and was due to Covid).
I think it is such a valuable thing to teach our kids, to lean into what calls them. To tune out all the "you shoulds." I remember being flooded with them. Getting straight A's and going to the best 4-year university was the ultimate goal back then. I wish I knew I could have gone to art school. It is funny to me how now, kids don't focus on grades as much. They have wellness centers on campus for mental health. It has changed so much. Glad to hear yours are doing well!
Exactly. And the "you shoulds" were really coming at me when people heard the kids switched to online school. They should learn how to deal with xyz, etc. My oldest is almost 22, he was quite young when regular shooter drills became a thing and I do believe these take a toll on mental health. There's no way to know how much that came into play though. But generally speaking, it's a tough environment for any introvert.
I really loved this post! The quote in the opening image immediately reminded me that all of my son's major milestones have happened in his own time—when he was ready. Not when we tried to help, not when a teacher tried to help. The other day at the park, he just started swinging all on his own, actually getting higher and higher. We were shocked, but it was a humbling reminder that things just click for him when the timing is right, like that moment.
I also really resonated with the part about being told you could only draw flowers as a teen. As a designer, I get a similar reaction—people assume I can illustrate anything or that I should be talented in all areas of art.
And I love seeing threads of things we’ve loved since childhood/teen years. I feel more like myself at almost 37 than I did throughout my 20s. It’s so wild (or maybe humbling?) to look back and realize my teen self would actually be proud of who I am today.
My daughter has been my greatest teacher. I watch what she goes through and remember myself at all those stages. She was born with a heart problem. We have always had to let her find her own pace. It has really taught me that everyone has their own pace. To tune out the hustle culture and take more time. So glad the post found you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Beautiful!
I'd love to see your mushroom lights. They sound so fun. "Can't you draw anything but flowers?" Hahahaha! I don't see anything wrong with that. 🥰
And Happy Birthday month! My birthday is the 22nd. I love having a spring birthday. Everything's starting to wake up and it's the beginning of a new year. Let's keep believing that anything is possible!
I LOVE a March birthday. Mine is the 9th. My husband just bought me a pot of tulips. All those spring vibes. Natural Life used to sell these tiny little toadstool mushroom lights. They just delight me.
Happy almost birthday! Enjoy your tulips and those toadstool lights!
Thanks so much Anne! 🤗
Thank you for this post. I'm reading it in the morning before anyone else is awake, except the chickens. Lol. "It was born knowing..." I love this. This reminds me of two things. One, how much I don't agree with the popular quote "bloom where you are planted" as it implies that you need to settle for less and just force yourself to be authentic in an environment that isn't right for you. I get that this quote has good intentions on the surface though. But for me, as my teens struggled through our public school system a few years ago, I came across the saying "When a flower doesn't bloom, you don't change the flower, you change the environment." And it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so perfect to hear at that time. It changed my thought process about the school issues and we were able to switch them to public online school (before Covid!) where they thrived and had space to heal from the damage our chaotic, stressful public high school caused. Those two have graduated and are thriving. Our youngest is now in online school as a sophomore and also loving it (although his switch was at the start of middle school and was due to Covid).
I think it is such a valuable thing to teach our kids, to lean into what calls them. To tune out all the "you shoulds." I remember being flooded with them. Getting straight A's and going to the best 4-year university was the ultimate goal back then. I wish I knew I could have gone to art school. It is funny to me how now, kids don't focus on grades as much. They have wellness centers on campus for mental health. It has changed so much. Glad to hear yours are doing well!
Exactly. And the "you shoulds" were really coming at me when people heard the kids switched to online school. They should learn how to deal with xyz, etc. My oldest is almost 22, he was quite young when regular shooter drills became a thing and I do believe these take a toll on mental health. There's no way to know how much that came into play though. But generally speaking, it's a tough environment for any introvert.
That quote has always irritated me, too. Glad I'm not the only one!
Ya, I never would have bloomed where I was originally planted. 😊
I always have to resist the urge to point out why that's not a great quote when I see people using it lol.