Dear Diary,
Today Nana Whacky, Faith and I went for a long walk. Oh M Gee. What I thought was going to be a little hike through the woods ended up being all about 'splorin things like my “mine-set” and my 'motions. At first I didn't know what Nana was talking about. She said my “mine-set” is how I think about things and my 'motions are how I feel about things. I thought sad meant sad and the fact that it's not safe to talk to strangers were just how it is.
I mean, should I really question my thoughts? Whodathunkit??
Nope. That's not how it is. Nana says I should really start 'splorin what I think and how I feel as often as I 'splore the brook, the garden, the trees and the stuff between my toes.
What happened was while we were walking through the woods I spotted a snake. That thing was at least a mile or two long and I got freaked out and ran from it. Nana said “Child, what's the matter? It's just a young snake.”
I had to 'splain to her that snakes are creepy and scary and dangerous. As old as she is, I thought she knew that. Nana stopped me and asked if I really believe all snakes are dangerous and if I had ever been bitten. She questioned if I had been told by someone else that snakes are terrible creatures.
When I stopped to think about it I realized she was right. The only time I've spent with a snake is each time I watch that weird movie where the snake is 200 feet long and eats an entire town, post office and all! Brrrrrr. That movie scares me silly. But then, it's just a movie. And that snake isn't real. And, and, and, well Diary, maybe that awful movie that I watched twenty or fifty times really affected what I believe about snakes. Like, I've never really seen a snake eat a post office in real life. Maybe snakes aren't so bad.
I guess what Nana was saying is that sometimes what we believe is based on the information we take in. What Mama tells me about being generous might make a difference in what I think about giving things to other people. What Papa says about money and taxes could change my thoughts about my allowance and how I spend it. My mine-set is mine and I guess I have to remember that I can't believe everything I hear, and I should make up my own decision about what I think, otherwise it could affect my mind.
Nana Whacky says I should be not just 'splorin the woods and the world, but I should be regularly checking in with my thoughts and feelings and see if what I think and feel really should be true. Actually, I think she said I should find out if they hold water.
I don't know 'bout my happiness holding water – it's not like a bucket or something.
By the time we were leaving the woods the snake showed up in the path in front of Nana and I. This time I stopped to look at. I'm not going to lie, my heart was pounding like I'd just run to the ice cream truck, but I stood there as it slithered past me and I remember thinking he was sorta cute and how the green scales on his back reminded me of the color of money.
And the color of money reminded me of the ice cream truck and ….
Well, maybe I'll just go and do some more 'splorin of my mine-set and 'motions another time. Right now I believe a drippy, melty two-scooper of strawberry ice cream with sprinkles would be just thing Faith would like me to have in order to feel good today. After all, I really think ice cream is delicious and I feel happy when I'm having some.
Gotta run! Blueberry kisses and ice cream wishes, till next time,
Molly Kite & Faith