“And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumpling yourself is not easily done.”
I got schooled by Dr. Seuss tonight. My son’s bedtime routine includes reading three books every night before he goes to sleep. He picks two and I pick one. I often find myself reading Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, The Lorax, or something involving trucks or trains three times a week. At least.
We always get new selections from the library, where he’s supposed to be quietly flipping through some books on the lounge chairs while I search for new titles. Does it always happen this way? Of course not. So when I grab books-on-the-go because I’m trying to leave the library without looking like “that mom” with the loud kid that doesn’t have a mute button, and one of those books-on-the-go happens to be pretty cool, it surprises me.
Cover via Amazon
Even though my son missed out on much of the symbolic underlying themes of the book, he did enjoy the basics — the adventures — of Oh The Places You’ll Go! I had never read that book before, so I thought it was a badass serendipitous moment that it fell into my hands.
It’s basically about the journey — life, graduating to the next step in your adventure, whether it be preschool, college, PhD., astronaut camp or motherhood. It’s about the Great Balancing Act of Life and all the drama, peace, and triumphs that come with it — staying balanced with the ups and downs.
It’s for the people with “Dreamer’s Disease”. I have it. I inherited it from my dad. I hope my son gets it. I hope the baby gets it. Reading this will make sure he’s on his way, or at the very least introduce him to the phases of life.
The book’s got different stages and I’ve been through most of them and continue to visit these places in a crazy cycle that The Guat life provides. I’m currently in a slump, where I’m “un-slumping” myself, and Seuss is right, it’s not easily done. It’s a bitch.
Then there’s “The Waiting Place,” for people just waiting … everyone is just waiting for things to happen. I’ve been passive like that too, but then I snapped out of it and moved on to the next roller coaster ride … “ready for anything under the sky.”
Now I’m living the “Great Balancing Act,” sometimes I fall … off a jagged, cliff and flat on my face. Other times I have badass moments of success, like The Warrior Dash.
And I ride those moments until the next great thing happens … and I remember the most awesomeness place … success. Oh yeah, I’ve been there, but not recently. Prior to the Warrior Dash, the bus hasn’t stopped on that corner in a while, but I remember what it looks like. Dr. Seuss reminded me.
“And will you succeed?”
“Yes! You will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed”.
“Kid, you’ll move mountains.”
Giddy up!
The Wish Factor 