Oh the Places You'll Go!

Growing up, I never thought much of Dr. Seuss.  He was never my childhood favorite.  Yes, I could recite "Are You My Mother?" and the infamous "Green Eggs and Ham" with the best of them, but I completely underestimated the power of the author's message.  And then in high school I was introduced to the best picture book of ALL TIME.  Wait for it..."Oh the Places You'll Go!"  If you haven't read it, stop reading this blog and get yourself to your nearest library.  Have a seat in one of those tiny chairs covered in little kid germs, and get ready to be inspired!  The basic storyline revolves around a life's journey.  Dr. Seuss tells us that things in your life are going to go great!  "Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.  Wherever you go, you will top all the rest."  And then Dr. Seuss gets real.  This doesn't often happy in children's stories.  This is so NOT a Disney movie.  Because just when you start to believe the good Dr. he bursts your bubble with THIS news.  "Except when you don' t.  Because, sometimes, you won't.  I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that hang-ups and bang-ups can happen to you.  You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.  And your gang will fly on.  You'll be left in a Lurch.  You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.  And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.  And when you're in a slump, you're not in for much fun.  Un-slumping yourself is not easily done."  Ohhhh Dr. Seuss you don't have to tell me about the un-slumping.  I know exactly what you're talking about!  See, it's like Dr. Seuss wrote this book FOR ME specifically.  MAGICAL. 

So you continue reading and you discover that somehow you'll unslump youself, because Dr. Seuss says you will.  And I believe him!  Because in the end he asks, "And will you succeed?"  I don't know! I don't know!  Tell me. I'm dying.to.know.  HOW CAN YOU KNOW?  And he says,  "Yes! You will, indeed!  (98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)  KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!"  Well I don't know about you, but a 98 and 3/4 percent guarantee that I will survive the next few weeks and maybe even move a MOUNTAIN sounds pretty damn good to me!

  

The funny thing about this book is that I picked it to read to my kindergarten class on my last day with them.  I wanted to inspire them to be the best little five-year-old versions of themselves they can be.  I wanted them to know that I believe in them, and that they should also believe in themselves.  Not once did I stop to think, am I doing this for me?  And then I started reading it.  And the kids had no idea what Dr. Seuss was saying.  Because they are FIVE and they just liked the funny pictures.  And they didn't understand that life is one hell of a journey...YET.  But I sure do.  I barely finished reading the book to my class without sobbing.  When it was over the kids asked if it was time for cupcakes yet, clearly they were impacted! While I took a deep cathartic breathe and felt the best I have in weeks.  I looked at the three moms standing in the back of the room.  Great moms, who have supported me through this process even though I'm disrupting their kids' lives and leaving them in the lurch.  And all three moms were crying.  Because Dr. Seuss didn't write this book for kids.  He wrote it for adults.  And I cannot thank him enough, because it was exactly the motivational speech I needed to get through the day.  And I am now 98 and 3/4 percent sure I am embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.