In October I began rereading the Harry Potter series. My childhood is marked by the 3 friends I made within the pages and the comfort I still find hidden inside these magical books. When I started reading the series, only the first 4 books were available, and the Sorcerer’s Stone film had just hit the theatre. I remember the anticipation of devouring each book and wondering when the next one would release so I could join my friends once more in their next adventure. I practiced my British accent for hours and dreamed about an owl showing up on my doorstep the morning of my 11th birthday.

In a world that is so fast-paced, with 2-day shipping, 6-second videos, cliff notes and texting, we have forgotten what it feels like to wait. To have deep, face-to-face conversations with one another. To read long-form books and blogs and poems. To stretch our patience muscles and feel the joy of slow gratification. As a kid, I was so much better at slowing down, waiting for good things, easing my way through the uncomfortable moments, carrying on actual conversations with friends and enjoying the very simplest of gifts that life had to offer. My imagination was wild. I carried my CD player everywhere with me and was constantly reorganizing my cd case to reflect my current favorites (you know back when we actually listened to an entire album.)

When I was younger I couldn’t wait to grow up, become an adult and do whatever I wanted.

Now, I find myself returning to the slower ways and simpler joys of my childhood. It’s not that I want to be a kid again (although I would love my metabolism and flexibility back. Yes, please.)

I long for the simplicity, the ability to sit and read novels, listen to an album in its entirety, use my imagination and create with my hands-without worrying if everyone will like it!

The child-version of me was confident and carefree.

Do you ever wonder what the “little kid you” would say about “adult-you” right now? I am so intrigued to know how she would react if I could pop back in time and sit down with her. I know for a fact, the life I’m living now is light years away from where I thought I’d go and who I thought I would become. I can’t help but feel, deep down inside of me, that she would be proud of who I am becoming, of what I am doing with this life God has given me.

She may be a little sad to know that I did not marry that little blonde boy that I was in love with since second grade… until she meets the man I did marry and realizes a love deeper than she ever thought possible. I didn’t end up working for Steve Irwin like she dreamed we would (all those hours practicing animal facts and perfecting my Australian accent), but I have found deep meaning and joy working with my little preschool friends. I have found myself curling up with a blanket and a good book again, remembering how I once devoured American Girl books, lost in their world.

I wonder if this month, we were to slow down and return to something that once gave us joy as children, how would that change our life?

Maybe it wouldn’t alter our entire path, but perhaps lift our mood. Bring a sense of joy and fun and wonder back into our always too busy schedules.

What is something you used to love as a child? Maybe it was creating art or sewing, playing piano or baking… What made you feel alive and carefree and creative and known?

What if you schedule time this month to return to that simple joy and just watch to see what goodness it stirs up inside of you?

Will you try it with me?