Books, a Bowtie, a Trike, and a Smile
Mini Me Challenge
My mom started going through old family photos a few years ago and distributing them to friends and family. Our house caught fire back in the ’70s. It was a total loss. A lot of pictures from my childhood were lost. Eventually, I got over it, but I learned not to get too attached to “things.” So the pictures we have of one another are pretty special.
And despite having worked for years in entertainment, you’d think I’d love to be in front of the camera. Not so. If anything, I’m terribly camera shy and self-conscious. but I’m getting over it … says the guy who used the same headshot on his social media accounts for over five years.
So about this picture.
The day my mom gave my this particular photo, I was deep in the throes of self-examination. You know, comparing the doldrums of my life to friends’ glorious accomplishments and highlight reels plastered all over social media. I remembered the encyclopedias, but I had no recollection of the bowtie, the trike, or that I had ever been that happy. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not constantly morose.) But the more I looked at the photo, I remember feeling … This is me! This is who I am deep down inside. And I still feel that way today.
Now, some fifty plus years later, the trick is to remember to nurture that guy and share a part of his unbridled joy with others.
