| As you watch children play in the park or you have | | | | with them. How sad. When my children finally made |
| little children at home, you have no doubt watched | | | | the break and moved out of the home, the "empty |
| them play and create "make believe" stories. Have | | | | nest" syndrome hit full force. About that time, the |
| you ever really listened to them when they were | | | | inner child began stirring. But there were no |
| unaware you were watching? It used to amaze me | | | | grandbabies yet to play with. |
| how my daughters would play, the oldest with her | | | | One evening while thumbing through a magazine, an |
| dolls and the youngest not so zeroed in on a | | | | advertisement for a real live looking doll literally |
| particular play theme. My son loved his cars and | | | | caught my eye. It was anatomically correct and had |
| would play for hours with them. Every single one of | | | | the cutest face, just like my doll so many years ago. |
| them had scenarios and tales to tell. | | | | A "newborn" and all the pudgy creases built into it. I |
| Believe it or not, I would get that urge to want to | | | | ordered a boy doll as I had lost a son at birth years |
| get down on my knees and play with them; | | | | ago, and had one son and two daughters since then. |
| sometimes I did just that. But when my children | | | | I named this doll Tristan. After some cute guy on |
| grew up and moved out on their own, I forgot how | | | | TV, no doubt. Like a little girl, once upon a time, I |
| to play. I knew there was a child in me wanting to | | | | dressed Tristan in newborn clothes, bought the |
| get out and play, but I would squelch the urge. After | | | | softest blanket and when no one was looking, |
| all, you are supposed to be a grown up and you | | | | created my world which included a "baby". The inner |
| need to do grown up things, I would tell myself. Who | | | | child in me won out and with my permission, I |
| says that, though? Why can't I surrender to that | | | | allowed myself to feel carefree. When my friend's |
| inner urge and play my heart out? | | | | children would come over, I would invite the little girls |
| I remember having a doll; she had blond hair and had | | | | to tea and all of us, with our "babies" would sit down |
| the cutest face. I would mother that doll as if I had | | | | to a cup of tea and cookies and make up some of |
| given birth to it. Never mind I really didn't know | | | | the funniest stories. Come to think of it, I recognized |
| where babies came from at that time. I would dress | | | | in those little girls their mothers and would chuckle to |
| her, cuddle her and make sure all of her pretend | | | | myself. No wonder that is why my daughters |
| needs were taken care of. I really loved that doll. But | | | | reminded me of me when they played their little |
| as I got older and had real "dolls" that actually moved | | | | games with their baby dolls. |
| and cried, I lost interest in pretend dolls. Live babies | | | | And so life does go on. Allow that child hiding deep |
| were a lot of hard work and a huge responsibility. | | | | within you to come out and play. You will have a |
| The child in me kept getting buried deeper as my | | | | blast! |
| children got older and no longer wanted me to play | | | | |