Remember when I loved Pandas?? My little miniature family of them? And the stuffed animal Aunt Karen and Uncle Ralph gave me? Second to Book Bear, it was my favorite stuffed animal.

(I still think Pandas are so cute. Shh!!!)

Interesting how who we were, is somehow still so much who we are. But it's the who that so few know. And in many ways, the me we are each most fond of. When we remember it, or find ourselves surprised to suddenly meet again when coming across some little moment, like sitting on a sidewalk all alone, we smile at one another and for a moment carry on hand in hand.

I may not stop to examine every slug, asking about its mother, father, siblings, destination, middle name, and favorite pastimes...or sit and try to train an ant circus, but I realize I'm still that same little girl. I want to know the secrets. I want to know the details of people. Their favorite memories and moments, their likes and dislikes, their fears and insecurities, their parents' names. And above all, I somtimes want to yell, "CAREFUL! Don't step on them!" just like the little, loud 4 year-old I once was. I want to see everyone along the path, and take the time to examine them. I can still turn a 15 minute walk into an hour and a half long journey. ;)

Sometimes I still do this too...