Troublemaker

When John Lewis died this summer, it got me to thinking about "Good Trouble". Children deserve to get into a bit of 'good trouble' - or maybe 'innocent' trouble is what I'm trying to say.

As a child, I was known as a troublemaker. In the neighbourhood, at church, at school - I came with a warning. I remember in kindergarten, the teacher would tape notes about my antics *to my back* to ensure my mother would get them.

With my red hair, came my temper. Though in Georgia, they are too polite to call a child 'red-headed'. I was a 'strawberry blonde'. I was the middle child. It is an understatement to say that I was flighty and chatty. I liked to make things (like messes) and was always 'getting into something'. Eventually, I was diagnosed with ADHD and put on medication, though I'm not sure how much that really helped.

My older sister and I are now mothers ourselves. I was thinking about 'good trouble' and how my boys get into trouble (usually innocent trouble) sometimes. Since becoming a mother, I am more sympathetic, understanding, and dare I say it - m e l l o w - - and I knew Laura had mellowed too. I thought the older sister might have a new perspective on my troubling childhood.

So I asked her. "In all honesty, Laura, I don't remember being THAT bad! I never had any malicious intent, or evil thoughts. Was I really that bad?"

She didn't even hesitate. "Yes. Yes, you were."