July 19, 2009

Your Youthful Heart.

image here.

I'm speaking to the part of you that used to spin and race and dance in the outside air- drinking up the last moments of your every single day like you were greedy for life- chasing the sun to the hills in your holey, dirt covered (and, let's be honest, probably acid washed) jeans.

I'm speaking to the part of you that knew no shame and laughed without restraint and dreamed bigger dreams than the ones you hold onto now. The part of you that knew no bounds and knew that life was about adventure and risk and throwing yourself headlong onto the mercy of tomorrow.

Your youthful heart.

Don't try and pretend that that part of you isn't around anymore... or can't hear me from underneath all the obligation you've piled on top of its head... or was never there at all.

That piece of you can still hear. It is still very much alive. It perked its ears up just now like that kid waiting to be picked for a team at recess- thinking it had been forgotten, yet suddenly recognized.

What would happen if we let that part of us loose a little bit? The Wildness? Not to wreak havoc on our daily lives and responsibilities, but to bring a bounce back into heavy steps? To make life attractive and fun to us again?

It would start small, of course. (The wildness may have become somewhat tame over the years, afterall.) Maybe a little skip-hop on your way to the car one day? Or an unplanned detour to get an ice cream cone with gummy worms on top? Then, perhaps a little dance party of your very own when no one else is watching?

Eventually, you will be throwing your head back with laughter so often that your neck will be sore at night. You will begin wearing flip-flops so that you can kick them off and feel the grass in between your toes. You will love with abandon and experience joy and pain, elation and heartbreak... perhaps all within mere hours (minutes?) of each other.

You will live raw again. Walls will fall down from all the bodacious break dancing.

People will stare in envy of your light heart... then they will turn and unburden their own- perhaps realizing that life is too short to spend despising those who choose to actually live it.

So... I want to know... What have you done today (or, what do you plan to do tomrrow) to exercise YOUR youthful heart?

Today, I made a baby giggle by pretending to be a robot.

(And, yes, it was every bit as awesome as it sounds.)

Your turn!

10 comments:

mrs boo radley said...

I just told my husband today, as we were knee-deep in yummy-smelling compost (yes, it was really yummy-smelling...almost kinda spicy-smelling) that I still feel like a teenager at heart. I think it's because we both communicate well with each other and I can say what's on my heart without reservation. I feel like kids are really good at that--being so transparent and speaking up, and I hope I never lose that.

It was fun to be in the garden, all full of mud...which even ended up on my stomach and in my hair...but we had a blast...just being ourselves.

Oh, and speaking of ice cream, we did hear the ice cream truck nearby, and vowed to run after it if it came around the corner, but it never did. Just the thought of doing that made us smile, though.

Talia said...

Yesterday, I jumped into the kiddie pool with my older girls and we all dumped plastic teapots of water over our heads while we giggled.
It was, indeed, awesome. :)

Sometimes I really do feel like I'm still a child myself.

I love the way you think, Emery!!!

IndianaJones said...

So funny...my husband and I were sitting in our room, getting ready for bed tonight talking about how awesome it is that we get to play so much with our kids and how much it just makes our souls feel full.
Then I was waiting for pictures to load so that I could post my blog from our day today when I read this blog. We were on the same wave length today I think! What I did today to live raw...
fulfilled a photographic goal
played on the zip line at the park and didn't even think about how ridiculous I looked (and there's photographic evidence, and it IS ridiculous)
danced in the living room with the whole family to get one in particular to dance her after nap crankies away (it worked really well by the way)
felt that butterfly kind of love for my elder daughter when she finished a sentence for me at bed time...
I said..."I love you so much you make my whole heart feel all filled up"
she said "filled up with joy?"
It does not get better than that I don't think. not for this Mama anyway.
Yay for youthful hearts and BIG BIG dreams.

Becky said...

Emery, I've been a 'lurker' for some time now...I just wanted you to know that your way with words and love for the Lord makes my heart sing with joy! I've been dealing with some trouble with depression, and it's so encouraging to see the way you've handled it with strength and grace. May He continue to bless you abundantly!

Annie Peterson said...

Yesterday I danced around my sister's house just because I felt cheerful, and this morning I started pulling out old songs we used to sing in choir! Yippee!!

kaci said...

please never stop this blog :)

Holls said...

when i find myself blasting taylor swift and dancing recklessley around the living room with my 4 yr old daughter dancing and cracking up- i know i'm in touch with a side i haven't felt in awhile. especially when i find myself out of breath from singing and dancing before 'you belong to me' is over. the simple indulgences i allow my daughter also reminds me of how far i've fallen from my youth- ie- helping (not being annoyed) her change her clothes or earrings 15 times a day.
we were around some teenage girls over the 4th and i was tripping out on how fun they still find play-do and coloring. how did i get so old anyway?

stina said...

received a letter from my boyfriend-he made up a secret coded message, like we used to do in junior high. a symbol for each letter of the alphabet. it was so fun to excitedly decode the message :)
[it said he's working on my birthday gift every day. he's an artist.]
so-not quite as youthful as pretending to be a robot, but sometimes when my cousins and i have dance parties, i pretend to be a dancing zombie.
wee!

Christina said...

Thank you for this post...thats all.I just needed to be reminded.

MoMar said...

Emery: I'm sure your robot impersonation was stunning. Don't ever ever stop, I think you could save the world with your words.