I Grew Up This Way...

Sometimes I think about all of the different things I wanted to be when I grew up: a teacher, an archaeologist, a marine biologist, an oceanographer and most importantly, an actress. My parents always encouraged me in whatever phase I was going through. They sat through countless lessons in my make-shift bedroom or front porch classroom, swam in shark infested waters looking for new sea life in our backyard swimming pool, hunted for mummies at the schoolyard playground, and the plays- oh the million or so performances that were mandatory attendance brought to them by myself, my ever obliging brother and a rag-tag bandy of neighborhood children recruited for my cause. But I digress. I remember all of these dreams so vividly- and it makes me think on more than one occasion- how did I get here? Doing what I am doing- or not doing? Recently on a visit to my mother's house, she asked me to go through my old books and pick out the ones I wanted to share with the boys and I re-discovered this:

Its a sweet little book called How Does Your Garden Grow? A Guidebook for First-Time Gardeners. I was given this when I was around 4 or 5. Maybe there is something to the notion that you should do what made you happy as a child. Planting, picking, pressing or making posies- flowers have always been present in my life-always.

How '70's! How many of you planted sweet potato vine in jars? Who would have thought that 30+ years later, potato vine would be so trendy? Perhaps, just perhaps this book was given to the little girl who was meant to play with flowers? The path I was supposed to go down was the garden path... (come on, I couldn't resist.) Maybe my parents knew something about me I didn't? (I would never give them the satisfaction of knowing I said that- unless they are reading this.) What can I say? The flowers make me happy...

and Hollywood can wait.