The Evolving Kind

by Belinda Munoz on June 17, 2011

Almost eight, never late, she declares;
faster than dawdling first-graders, she compares.

Reading big books, writing in cursive,
playing musical scales by the octaves.

Ponies rule, boys drool, she maintains.
Hugs make humans happy, she explains.

In her grade-school world, kindness reigns.
Friends come and go, love remains.

The insights she’ll glean when she’s
eighteen…

++++++++++++++++

Do you remember when you were eight?
Have some of your beliefs changed over the years?
Do you appreciate how much you’ve evolved?

For G-Man and Melissa (prompt: kind).

{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

1 brian miller June 17, 2011 at 3:58 am

well we both had 8 year olds today…18 though i can wait for…ha…i hope they stay young a bit longer…

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2 Molly@Postcards from a Peaceful Divorce June 17, 2011 at 3:58 am

This poem really speaks to me because I have a seven year old girl who is so sweet and kind and she loves me sooo much. I never want her to lose that kindness of spirit even when she becomes an adolescent.

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3 Belinda June 17, 2011 at 8:09 am

Molly, this precocious girl took to hanging with me at an event i attended last night. And i just loved her pure and loving spirit. I think that she’ll keep some (possibly most) of that when she grows up, just like most of us retain our core when we get older (no matter how it may get buried under layers of self-protecting shield). What we lose, we trade in for more of that stuff that grownups need to make it through our days — could be wisdom, could be knowledge, could be a thicker armor. But i was proud of myself for having what appears to be an evolving view of getting older, of time passing, of lost innocence.

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4 ayala June 17, 2011 at 4:22 am

This is sweet ,and we do change and evolve in so many ways. The innocence is gone as we grow up but the wisdom grows and carries us through the journey.

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5 Adrienne June 17, 2011 at 4:36 am

It is fascinating to watch this evolution in our children. We watch them wrestle with the choices as they leave innocence and move on to wisdome. And when kindness becomes (or stays) a part of who they are because of good choices, well that’s such a blessing!

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6 Talon June 17, 2011 at 7:48 am

She sounds so delightfful, Belinda! (Wait until she finds out that MEN drool, too!) ;)

Hope you have a beautiful weekend.

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7 Rachel June 17, 2011 at 8:47 am

Eighteen sneaks up so fast! I remember the first day of kindergarten – and her last day of high school.

Enjoy every moment, guys!

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8 ChefKar June 17, 2011 at 11:19 am

I love how you’ve captured the innocence of an 8-year old. Amazing the evolution that takes place ~ for them, for us. My oh my how I have grown as my children have as well.

Daytime Mask

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9 G-Man June 17, 2011 at 2:24 pm

Belinda…this was so fantastically Right On!
Loved your theory of Evolution.
Great 55
Thanks for playing, and have a kick Ass Week-End

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10 angela June 17, 2011 at 2:46 pm

Lovely, Belinda….and I could so remember being eight, thou, now I wonder if I was late, even then, ha!

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11 Brook June 17, 2011 at 6:32 pm

Hugs do make humans happy.
Things seem so cut and dried at that age.

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12 Melissa June 17, 2011 at 8:48 pm

18 seems like both a long way off, and a blink away. So amazing to see how we all grow and change but remain… ourselves.

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13 Kelly June 17, 2011 at 9:49 pm

I don’t remember being 8 but it was a great year for my son. The open, inquisitive nature mixed with the ability to read, write and use reason (somewhat) are a wonderful combination.

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14 Caroline June 18, 2011 at 3:35 am

I agree with her, hugs do make humans happy! And, I don’t think I remember 8 well enough to know how much I’ve changed, though I’m sure the change is there, LOVE does remain!!

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15 TheKitchenWitch June 18, 2011 at 5:31 am

Eight is a very sweet age. I am NOT looking forward to eighteen, though!!

Ponies rule/Boys drool–isn’t that the truth! :)

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16 Olivia June 18, 2011 at 6:40 am

I remember my childhood years like a movie scene.. running in sequence and with clarity!
I was a grown up child by then.. understanding what was the tension all about amongst the elders and already worrying about my future. Growing up so soon did help me..
Loved your memories of fun- filled years and laughter.

Weekend hugs xox

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17 Sara June 18, 2011 at 10:45 am

I wish this – “In her grade-school world, kindness reigns.
Friends come and go, love remains” could last forever :)

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18 cj Schlottman June 18, 2011 at 5:51 pm

“Ponies rule, boys drool, she maintains.” I love this! Don’t despair. She may stray a little – 15 was a hard year at our house – but when 18 arrives, you will have her back.

Namaste……….cj

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19 Rudri Bhatt Patel @ Being Rudri June 20, 2011 at 2:21 pm

I don’t remember eight, but look foward to when my daughter reaches that age. This is a charming poem.

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20 Marci | Liberating Choices June 20, 2011 at 5:45 pm

Thank goodness for life learning. I’m not sure I really started learning about myself and what choices I have until my 30s!

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