“I always say, whatever you were at ten years old is what you’re going to be for the rest of your life.”
-Joy Behar
A golden tan and summer blonde hair, the child has been kissed by the sun. Her laugh is light and airy, like a children’s symphony. Dangling from the sturdy tree branch by the knees, she swings like a limber monkey. Only ten years old, her imagination takes her to the circus under the big top, where she is an acrobat in a colorful costume, performing wondrous feats. The crowd roars with pleasure and awe. This is as real to her as it is to brush her teeth, comb her hair or eat her lunch. Like a painting caught in a downpour, the colors bleed together to create a brand new masterpiece- a delight to the eye. Fantasy and reality meld together to become one in a child’s vivid imagination.
Yes, that little girl was me- a tomboy with scraped knees, torn clothes, dirty hands and endless energy. My dream was simple and straightforward. I wanted to be an acrobat. People change and so do our dreams. From playing make believe with my Barbie dolls at eleven, to becoming a married woman at the tender age of seventeen, a mother at nineteen and a widow at twenty-one, I dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, actor, writer, poet, interior decorator, tailor, fashion model and a cookie chef.
How much of that little acrobatic tomboy still lives on inside of me? Am I still the same person down deep that I was then? Physically, of course not. Every part of our physical body is completely regenerated approximately every seven years. At the age of ten, was I already a fully developed, morally conscious, self realized human being? The answer of course is an emphatic "No!" I believe that there will always be a part of that ten year old acrobat hidden in me, just as the dancer still dances, the actor still acts and the cookie chef still bakes cookies. These are all parts of a whole, pieces of an immense jigsaw puzzle that is far from complete.
Parts integration is an NLP process used when a person indicates something like:
-Joy Behar
A golden tan and summer blonde hair, the child has been kissed by the sun. Her laugh is light and airy, like a children’s symphony. Dangling from the sturdy tree branch by the knees, she swings like a limber monkey. Only ten years old, her imagination takes her to the circus under the big top, where she is an acrobat in a colorful costume, performing wondrous feats. The crowd roars with pleasure and awe. This is as real to her as it is to brush her teeth, comb her hair or eat her lunch. Like a painting caught in a downpour, the colors bleed together to create a brand new masterpiece- a delight to the eye. Fantasy and reality meld together to become one in a child’s vivid imagination.
Yes, that little girl was me- a tomboy with scraped knees, torn clothes, dirty hands and endless energy. My dream was simple and straightforward. I wanted to be an acrobat. People change and so do our dreams. From playing make believe with my Barbie dolls at eleven, to becoming a married woman at the tender age of seventeen, a mother at nineteen and a widow at twenty-one, I dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, actor, writer, poet, interior decorator, tailor, fashion model and a cookie chef.
How much of that little acrobatic tomboy still lives on inside of me? Am I still the same person down deep that I was then? Physically, of course not. Every part of our physical body is completely regenerated approximately every seven years. At the age of ten, was I already a fully developed, morally conscious, self realized human being? The answer of course is an emphatic "No!" I believe that there will always be a part of that ten year old acrobat hidden in me, just as the dancer still dances, the actor still acts and the cookie chef still bakes cookies. These are all parts of a whole, pieces of an immense jigsaw puzzle that is far from complete.
Parts integration is an NLP process used when a person indicates something like:
“A part of me wants to _________, but another part of me wants to _________”.
Locating these parts and developing communication between them can resolve conflicted feelings, and eliminate blocks that impede our progress. The important thing to realize here is that every part is right, although at times misguided, and generally has good intentions. Agreement among parts is an efficient way to eliminate procrastination and allow a person to accomplish great things.
I began my experience here in this carnal world with a clean slate, like a computer with only basic programming. The programming began right away. From the time the doctor smacked my bottom, I learned if I cried loud enough and long enough, I would be fed, changed, cuddled and essentially completely taken care of. From that moment on the programming continued. I developed, learned and thrived to become the person I am today and I will continue to advance from this day forward. We all have programs that applied at the time, but are now obsolete. If I continued to cry loudly in order to be taken care of at the age of 30, my loved ones would probably decide to "take care of me" by committing me to the nearest psychiatric ward. This is why old programs need to be deleted and replaced with productive programs that can change and alter with time and maturity.
In the game of life, each personality part is an essential slice of the proverbial pie. The sugar and the apples work together, combining the tart tang of desire and the sweet flavor of success. A common objective between parts can create peace, harmony and a tasty dessert at the end of a fantastic meal. There’s nothing better than that.
In the game of life, each personality part is an essential slice of the proverbial pie. The sugar and the apples work together, combining the tart tang of desire and the sweet flavor of success. A common objective between parts can create peace, harmony and a tasty dessert at the end of a fantastic meal. There’s nothing better than that.
If you promise not to tell anybody, I will let you in on a secret. There are times when I feel the urge to go climb a tree, and sit atop the branches looking down at the brown clay earth in remembrance of those carefree days of youth. That part of me still feels the excitement and joy of an innocent, daydreaming child. She looks out through my eyes at the world and grins, knowing she has made her contribution.
Was that a lizard that just ran by? Excuse me while I run to catch it . . .
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