Maria Tomorrow, Because Today is Almost Over*

A few weeks ago I was sitting around a campfire with some of my friends and we were talking about ridiculous things that we did as children.

We all remembered the good old days when all the girls on the playground would tuck the bottom of their shirts through the collar to make a little belly shirt because, well, it was just so hot.

My friend Jenn recalled wearing her stuffed fabric headband at the top of her forehead rather than further back on her head because she thought it looked like a crown.

In kindergarten, I remember when all the girls used to wear very tight leggings and baggy sweatshirts. I'm sure you remember. One day I went down the slide at school and got the skirt I was wearing all wet. Embarrassed and wearing tights (fairly see through), I decided to just take off my skirt and just wear my tights. After all, they were pretty much leggings. Logical. Right? I thought so, and continued to play at recess in nothing but my tights, my underwear and a shirt until my alarmed teacher soon realized and politely suggested I put my skirt back on.

(Ok. So you all think I'm crazy now, but I'm sure if your honest with yourself you can think of something equally embarrassing. If not, you need to live a little more.)

It’s funny to think that in a few years, maybe a few weeks, I'll look back on a part of myself and think, "Wow! Why was I so ridiculous? Why was I so scared? Why was I so blind?"

I think it’s a strange concept to wrap your head around. It’s hard to imagine that the way I think about things right now will change so drastically. To think that something I take completely for granted right now, will someday be seen in a completely different light. I imagine the person I am tomorrow looking at the person I am today, and laughing.

I like this idea. I like to know that things I struggle with today will be jokes tomorrow. I like to know that I'm not settled. When I write something and think I've got it all figured out, that I've discovered some illusive wisdom, I like to remind myself that I'm probably still running around in my underwear and not even realizing it. I don't have it all together.




*The title of this blog is stolen from that beloved episode of NBC's The Office, "Diversity Day". Yes, that is a shameless plug.