what more could there be?

Can we please talk about this for a moment?

Peter Pan original release date: February 5, 1953.

BOOM.

Destiny.

Most of you know, and those of you who don't clearly do not know me well enough, that my all time favorite story is that of Peter Pan.

I am in love.

I have been for as long as I can remember.

When I was younger, my love of Peter Pan was rooted in the fantasy of being whisked away to Neverland to partake in endless adventure.

And to fly, obviously.

I never closed my window, no matter the outside temperature, because I was (and still am, to be honest) waiting for Peter to take me away.

I don't need to go forever.

But come on,

Neverland!

I remember swinging on the play set in my backyard imagining that I could fly. I'd play "Wendy". That didn't last long though because Wendy is super lame. I'll give her credit for accepting the adventure in the first place. That's about it though.

I think even from a young age my extreme dislike of Wendy stemmed from the fact that Wendy is a representation of adulthood and there is no way that I'm ready for that nor do I ever want to be as seen or embrace the feeling of "old". 

Young at heart.

Forever. 

(but not in a #yoloswag type way. that's gross)

Towards the end of the story, Peter says to Wendy in response to her complaints regarding the "lackingness" of Neverland,

"I taught you to fight and to fly! What more could there be?"

Oh, Peter.

Life is so much more beautiful than fighting and flying.

There are endless possibilities when you choose to really live your life.

This is how my love of Peter Pan has shifted.

I am still completely enamored, don't get me wrong.

Peter is a child. He looks at the world with simple eyes.

He understands the difference between good and evil.

He recognizes the necessity for fun and spontaneity.

He is incredibly loyal.

He is persistent.

He loves a good story.

I want to always be like Pan.

I hope that forever I will remember to choose what is right, crave adventure, stay true, never give up and remain infatuated with story. 

To see the world through the eyes of a child,

not jaded by the hardships of life,

wholly optimistic,

fearless,

trusting,

full of laughter.

For as J.M. Barrie writes

"When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies."

If you have not yet read the original novel Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie, I would highly recommend that you do so. 

Now.

Return to your youth.

I challenge you to look through your eyes, how ever many years they have seen, and remember what how the world is perceived by a child.

Stay there for a while.

Soak in the beauty. 

Then, go play.

"Do you know" Peter asked "Why swallows build in the eves of houses? It is to listen to the stories."

you're that important

So it's my birthday week.

I guess that's kinda neat.

It's also my sister's birthday week.

That's neater. 

It's a bit of a bummer that our week started out with a loss.

It's okay, we'll be 12s forever.

Love you guys.

Since our birthdays last year, so much has happened in the lives of the Stelle girls.

Transitions, transitions, transitions. 

We've moved around a bit.

Madison moved from the harb to good ol' Cheeny to attend university.

I moved from Botswana to Mexico to continue my study.

(Side note, our family moved from the harb to Rocklin. Wooh.)

We have both done some relationship shifting, both in the friend circle and elsewhere.

It has been weird and uncomfortable for us both, but we're still kickin.

We're both figuring out what our role is in this big, scary world.

Madison has locked into the justice arena. She is passionate about freeing those in bondage.

I am still wandering around falling in love with culture and the people who make it.

We've both spent a fair amount of time being lonely.

It's okay though, because no matter what, we have each other.

Distance has become relative.

Letters are fun.

Texting is convenient.

Skype is a blessing.

It's funky though, without all of that, we would still be close to one another.

It's out hearts.

They're in sync.

We can sense when the other needs a call or an embarrassing selfie.

It's like we have ESPN or something.

Sisters.

But more.

Best friends.

But more.

Confidants.

But more.

Words cannot describe how thankful I am for you, Maddog.

Picture Zac Efron running and jumping around the golf course filled with angst.,, that's about the same level of feels that I have.

You're that important. 

Love you.