My, my.... that diary clock keeps getting further and further ahead of itself! :-)

Ok, I know I talk about dreams and sleep a lot, but I can't help it. It's amazing how dreams even work if you really think about it. The smallest detail of your day can become a focal point in a dream. What is so much more amazing is how the human brain operates.

Besides having dreams, think of all the information it can store and never use. Well, at least not on a regular basis. This leads into my dream. Last night, I had a dream I was at a sleepover with some girls and one particular girl was there. Her name was Holly Sawyer. Now, the wow-ness of it all is this (is wow-ness a word?!?hmmm.... ) that I knew Holly Sawyer in 4th and 5th grade and haven't seen or heard from her since. She was a kind girl, though. The MOST popular girl in 4th grade was Cathy Arrington. All the boys liked her and all the girls wanted to be like her. She got Little Debbie snack cakes in her lunch everyday. It was an honor to be chosen to get the second of the two cakes. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted it and secretly hoped every day that she'd pick me, she never did.

Cathy even started her own "club". It was called the "WHAT" club. Clever name, I have to admit. So, at recess all the girls in the club would gather on the playground with their WHAT Club Notebooks and scribble down secret information that I was not privy to. It hurt not being part of her crowd, though I wasn't alone. Anna Wilson was also outcast by Cathy and her entourage. I think it was because Anna was overweight. That disturbs me; like it was really Anna's fault at that age. I doubt it.

Anyway, Cathy would pick on me and tease me and get the other girls to follow suit. I hated it and I dreaded going to school. Well, one day, I was in class and I reached into my little red backpack to find a note. I was intrigued and also excited. (Girls LIVE to get notes in school and at that time, I didn't get any) I opened it up and it read, "You are beautiful. Love, Your Secret Admirer" Then an hour or so went by and there was another note. "You are so cute! Love, Your Secret Admirer." This went on for most of the afternoon. Finally, at the end of the day, I had an entire handful of nice things on paper all for me. I was elated. It wasn't until months later, at a sleepover, that I found out that it wasn't from a boy, but from a girl. Holly Sawyer. I was disappointed to say the least, but over the years I realized that she was actually trying to be friends with me and make me feel better. (and of course, she had to do it secretly so Cathy wouldn't find out)

The sleepover was for Holly Sawyer. It was the first time in my life that I had ever been invited and I was so excited. Holly had even given me a hug that night and treated me like all her other friends; she even was nice to me in front of Cathy Arrington. Of course, she WAS at her own house on her own turf! :-)

Through the years, I've often wondered what became of Holly Sawyer and Cathy Arrington. It took several and I mean several years to get over the emotional scars I had from being picked on by Cathy.

I wish more parents would teach their children that we're all capable of feeling emotions, especially the ones that hurt. The silliest part of the whole thing is when you grow up, you realize that the Cathy Arringtons of the world is not what life is about; it's not about trying to be something for someone else or to follow someone around like a lost puppy, but yet to make your own footprints and be the person YOU are happy being!

Thought Of The Day: "This above all; to thine own self be true."

-William Shakespeare

Thought Of The Day (2): "The soul that is within me no man can degrade."

-Frederick Douglas

Until next time... peace, love & Health!