I was called Kiki. I grew up in this home on Lake Bluff Boulevard in Shorewood, Wisconsin. It was the house my grandpa purchased new in 1926 and where my mom and my aunt grew up and where their young mom tragically succumbed to spinal meningitis .
This picture was taken within 10 years of my dad fighting in World War II. The Korean War, the Cold War, and the polio epidemic were all happening at the time this picture was taken. Sonic booms were normal. The threat of nuclear war was imminent. These were threats this little girl was thankfully oblivious to.
Soon we would get our first television. After it rained, my little brother and I would play with sticks in the sidewalk cracks and make mud pies. Summers were spent at Atwater Beach where my mom and I loved to find colorful smooth stones washed up by the waves of Lake Michigan.
My grandma lived downtown and took the bus to visit us on weekends. My grandpa lived two blocks away.
At the age of 3, my family was my world. Now, at 72, my family is still my world.
I keep this little picture on my desk to remind me of who I am. I'm still this little one - full of dreams and play and hope and imagination. If I could speak to her from 2023, I would tell her:
- Keep looking forward.
- You will fail and mess up, but you will be ok.
- Never stop learning.
- Be thankful.
- Life goes by fast. Embrace every moment.
- Be kind.
- Don't be afraid to be who you are.
- You are special.
- You have never been alone.
- You are greatly loved.
- You are brave and strong.
- Follow your heart.
- Stand for what you believe.
- You are a gentle, quiet warrior.
- You will have adventures.
- Dream big and bigger.
- God already knows you.
Check my website for information about my books and blogs and life. www.christinetracy.com
No comments:
Post a Comment