Why Not?

You know how kids go through the "why?" stage?  Everything you say to them is followed up with a "why?"  Well, we are in the middle of that stage right now with Aiden, except instead of "why" he says "why not?"  He means why, but for some reason always adds the not.  For example, I'll tell him we are going to go to the gym and then the grocery store and he'll say, "why not?"  Although technically wrong, I think it's cute and don't have the heart to correct him just yet.  I also started thinking about this saying and came to the conclusion that he's not wrong...he's just extremely optimistic!

As adults, we find excuses for everything.  We can't lose weight, we can't make that deadline, we can't save money, we can't pursue our true dreams.  What if we played like Aiden and instead of making excuses, asked ourselves - why not?  We encourage our kids to reach for the stars and dream big; well, why not us?  True, a lot of my dreams have already come true.  A wonderful husband, happy and healthy kids, a roof over our heads and a great support system.  But maybe it's okay to keep dreaming and asking why not?

Children have the gift of innocence and naivety.  We have lived enough now to develop fear and doubt and especially in today's world it is very easy to just give in to the negativity.  But we can't just leave the dreaming to the little ones.  I think this world could use some adult dreamers as well.  And not just daydreaming, but actually asking yourself - why not?  And going after it.

I have a few dreams/goals in mind that I am trying to treat the way Aiden would.  I want to publish a children's book.  I want to grow my writing experience because I truly love it and the way I can connect to people.  I want to be able to do a pull-up.  (Why are those so freaking hard?!)  I have other dreams of travel and experiences, but these are the ones I'm really focusing on right now.  Why can't I be an author?  Why can't I keep writing?  And why can't I pull myself up over a bar?  Well, I can.  And I will.

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” - Shel Silverstein

Happy Tuesday :)