What is childhood anyway?

  I'm editing a mini-biography for a dear friend of mine. She talks about her childhood, and it means more than ever to me since the land of my childhood is close by. In some ways I would say that I have ignored my childhood as an adult. Not because it was so difficult, but because it was not pertinent. Life wasn't horrible, and it wasn't all fantastic. My friend asks: what was your childhood like, what feelings does it conjure up? My childhood seems very vague in many ways. How do I summarize my childhood? It was fun. It was going outside and walking beaches and spending time at Grandma's house. It was morphing from ultra shy to standing in front of the auditorium for graduation, as one of the emcees. Sometimes I wonder if I use my bad memory to forget all the bad things. It's a choice though, you know? To dwell on the good or the bad. To become bitter or become better. It's the difference between past emotions and emotions the are constantly recreated from the past.
  I have this warped memory, but it makes it easy for me to forgive and forget. Literally.
People love to ask the question: what would change your life if you had done it differently. But for me it's like saying can you predict the future? No. I can't predict the past either. I'm a simple: It was what is was person.
  My friend talks about her dreams growing up. I don't ever remember being the kid who said they wanted to be This or That when I grew up. I wanted to see what life would bring me. I thought going to school after graduation would be good, but I couldn't think of anything interesting enough to spend my money on. Or my time. I had time, I didn't have money, so I really needed to want it. I used to dodge the question in high school, I would tell people I wanted to be a Grandma when I grew up.
  I found a poster board and divided it up into nine spaces. I'm trying to map out all the things I need to consider, and get a visual representation of what I want out of my Canadian days.
  Or maybe I will scrap the poster and just bring an extra bag for the chocolate bars. I don't know, maybe I shouldn't make any more decisions until I'm off the cough syrup and my cold is gone.
We were going to Seattle today, but now we're putting it off until tomorrow. I feel like a teenager, lounging around someone's house watching a lot of TV. While the real grown up in the house cooks us dinner and goes off to work. These sinus headaches are rough.
  One day I'm going to have my own T-shirt company. I will wear a lot of them, but my favorite will probably be the one that says "Wish me luck". Because that's the phrase I seem to be saying a lot these days. I think it will be a spring leaf green with dark blue print. When it's being washed I will wear the dark blue one with pale green print that says "Good luck with that".

This is the best map I could find. We are in Montesano, which is next to Aberdeen. We will head north to Seattle tomorrow. I think. If we don't leave tomorrow, I'm making a T-shirt that says: "I know I've said that before".
You know what? I think I will do daily affirmations T-shirts. I was going to put it in a book, but what about on a shirt? I could wear the affirmation that I feel I need most for the day. Today I could use a good health affirmation. Like... I have a strong immune system, and I love my good health. Well, I'll work on it. At about 3am I will come up with a really good one. And wake up smiling. Then forget it by the time I roll out of bed. Wish me luck!