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Finding Bliss

A few days ago J was texting me quite excited to share news of a kid she had re-connected with after a long hiatus. Little S as I remember her was one of the girls from J's dance class. She was a couple of years younger and we typically met at once J's class ended and hers began. The mother was intensely focused on S's education and all around development. At the time S played four sports, took dance lessons, studied art and robotics outside of school. While all time was structured time but S was a free spirit in a quiet sort of way. J was excited to report that S had reached out to let her know she is off to college soon and will be following her dream - she was going to study art and art history. S maintains a great blog on art - her own art portfolio is impressive and so are her ruminations about her favorite pieces of art from visits to various museums. S's love for the subject shines brightly - her blog is the place she is most herself, quite unlike that harried kid I once knew her to be. 

J was happy for her - for being able to keep her real passion alive despite the over-scheduled, over-committed, over-extended life her well-meaning parents created for her. She pushed through all that noise to nurture what made her happy. Not every kid has the inner-strength to swim against the tide of parental good intentions to connect with their personal source of bliss. Like J, I am glad that Little S did. She was a wonderful dancer too. Maybe in time, those other things she spent years working on thanks to the opportunities her parents gave her, will find a meaningful way to enrich and complete her life. I do believe this story will have a happy ending for all concerned. 

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