Meredith  Wakefield  Art
 
THINK OF GROUNDHOGS
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Up until a certain age, most children are incredibly confident in themselves. Ask a kid if she's an artist, and you'll probably get a resounding yes. Somewhere along the line though, they/we seem to lose it. If we could only hang onto that childlike belief in ourselves! 
 
Jessica and I sat across from one another at the kitchen table. She was telling me all about the colors she had learned. I asked her what color my eyes were, and she proudly announced they were blue. But when we got to her mother, and I said she had green eyes, she strongly disagreed. She insisted they were blue. Finally, she declared, “It’s obvious you don’t know your colors!” 
 
Jack was showing me his bedroom and all his toys when he noticed that I was putting in my hearing aids. He asked if they were my “listening ears.” What a great name for hearing aids!! Six months later when I saw him again, I told him I had my listening ears with me. He retorted, “There’s no such thing as listening ears.” 
 
All of which brings me to an article I read this morning in the New York Times. There's an elementary school in California that has a hotline set up by children for words of encouragement.
 
“After dialing 707-873-7862, callers are presented with a series of options: Those who are feeling “mad, frustrated or nervous” are instructed to press 1. For “words of encouragement and life advice” or “a pep talk from kindergartners,” dial 2 or 3. Press 4 “to hear kids laughing with delight,” or 5 for “encouragement in Spanish.”
 
They say laughter is the best medicine, and I absolutely concur with the sentiment.  Oftentimes, we take ourselves far too seriously and dwell on minor things that become monumental in our own minds. I'm definitely guilty of this. It's such a waste of time. So the next time you're feeling out of sorts, just call the hotline!