The Wild One

There's nothing wilder than a wild child. Almost everyone knows about this one around the block, and in school. Children like them are the most loved, as well as the most deviant. It's like playing with wild cards, you never know what you're going to get on a daily basis, let alone an hourly basis. Their hearts are crazy, they hug the biggest and they feel the most uncontrollable emotions sometimes. It's unfortunate that many people consider wild kids to be "bad" kids, when that couldn't be further from the truth. In time, you'll see.

As for me, I have a wild one. He is my greatest blessing, my greatest joy, and the one who keeps me on my toes no matter what. Are there days that are more challenging than others, days that make me want to scream into the air or pull my hair out? Yes, a thousand times yes, but I wouldn't trade those days for anything in this world because he is my wild one.

These are the kids that are usually cast aside, considered no longer good, viewed as unmanageable, but I urge you to reconsider this notion. Be willing to look beyond their weaknesses, their outbursts, their very high highs, and their very low lows, no matter how hard it may be. As soon as you do this, you will see these wonderful kids for who they really are at their core. You'll see that smile that has the power to make you smile even in the most difficult of times, and you'll hear that laughter that automatically makes you laugh from the inside out. They'll be full of sparkle, wonder, curiosity, and eagerness to learn about everything around them. It only takes a little time to look deeper.

There may be a wild one in your life, one who doesn't listen when patience is hard to come by. The one who does most things on their own without asking for help. Unmanageable at times, who make strangers roll their eyes. In spite of the fact that we have these wild ones, most people fail to realize that they are just tiny humans trying to figure out this big world, they feel everything deeply, they'll stand up for what is right while leading with a big heart, they'll challenge our thinking in ways we can't imagine, but we have to remember that they chose us as their guide in a world that sometimes feels cold to them. Even though things are hard right now, I promise you that they will change the way we live, how we think, and how we feel in the future. It is the way we see the world not only through our own eyes, but also through theirs. You'll see, if you give them a chance, there's so much good to come and so much to give. Changing the stigma associated with them is possible.

It would be a privilege to know a wild one, let alone raise one. Instead of rolling your eyes at them, put yourself in their shoes when you see them passing by feeling their high emotions. In this world, there are so many things that are thrown into their faces and into their little evolving minds that we cannot always protect them from. Remember, they are just tiny humans trying to make it.

It's a blessing to have a wild one, and I'm one of the lucky ones. The storm was beautiful, and I hadn't expected it. It is my hope that we can all change our perception of these wild ones and see their beauty.

Be kind. Always, even when its hard. It could change your world or change the world of someone else.