1.) My mistakes would be part of the process. When I messed something up, people would smile at each other and say things like, "She's still learning."
2.) I would be a master of mindfulness without even trying. If I found a yellow leaf in the grass, it would get all of my attention. It would be studied, smelled, and probably tasted. I would notice how soft the leaf felt against my cheek, and what it felt like in my hair. From there, it would become the candle on a birthday cake made of sand, or a big ship taking ants from one place to another. None of this would have anything to do with yesterday.
3.) I would forgive everyone for everything. Forgetting about yesterday makes it hard to stay angry. So do Play-Doh, finger paints, and a regularly-scheduled afternoon nap. No hard feelings, read me a story.
4.) I could make friends instantly. Making new friends would not require that I join an adult recreational sports-slash-drinking league or take a pottery class. Friendship would occur spontaneously and in non-socially-prescribed settings, like the laundromat or post office. Interactions would resemble something like this: You are a kid? I am a kid! Look how many freckles I have. Let's spin in a circle.
5.) I would believe that anyone taller than me knew exactly what to do next, so I could pretty much take it easy. Car rides would be spent gazing out the window. Food would appear as if from nowhere. I could live in that truly blissful place of self-indulgence, a sense that no matter the task, somebody else has it covered. Everything is going to be just fine.
Perhaps I am just bitter that when I start to get really, really tired at the zoo no one ever throws me over their shoulder and carries me to the car. But still, observing the world of these preschoolers, unburdened by the ticking clock, empty of resentment and worry, engaged with the natural world, creativity and imagination... it kind of makes me envy them. So I will challenge myself to see the world through their eyes and live more like a 3-year-old today. Will you?
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