circle of the same

Hours become days. Days become weeks. Weeks turn into years. Then you are almost 26.


Somewhere between the age of 9 and 11, Claire and I were babysat by a cool older girl in HIGH SCHOOL. She was awesome. She had sweatshirts that said her school's name. She had SERIOUS homework. I remember being fascinated with her graphing calculator. I thought I would never be old enough to learn to use one (which may actually still be true). She had grown up hair and knew things about music and boys and how to work the oven. She was a magical grown up fairy.


Last weekend I hung out with my little from Big Brothers Big Sisters and I begged her not to grow up. I told her graphing calculators SUCK and that she should enjoy being 14. Want to know what she said? "I want to be a grown up so I know how to deal with stuff as good as you. I want to know what to say and where to go."


Besides being again amazed at her clarity of voice, I realized that I was that babysitter. 16+ years later, the circle of life completes a round. To her, I'm a magical grown up fairy. Then we talked about Lady Gaga's egg and decided that we should probably get a Bedazzler and make tutu's and t-shirts for the concert.


It's good to be a kid. And an adult. All at the same time. I was right.