When I was six, the world opened up to me.
It happened the moment I discovered the math inside my A-B-C's.
I remember vividly, the first word I spelled by myself: d-a-y, "day." And it was in that moment that I knew my life had become my own.
That I could create my own world, my own future. That I could begin to imagine and author the events and adventures I might have. That my life was not bound forever to the limitations into which I was born, but could reflect my own dreams, imaginings, and desires.
Words quickly became my trusted friends. They protected me from a world of chaos and confusion and carried me to new places of growth and discovery. They have given me a life of opportunity and learning, and they have never let me down.
When we are six, we are standing at the outer edge of our innocence. We are aware of our person, and we haven't yet learned to be embarrassed by our circumstances, or afraid of our differences. We still wear our feelings on the outside for everyone else to see.
When we are six, we are as free as we will ever be. Unless we learn to live our lives deliberately.
Who were you when you were six, and where is that person today?
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