We are all eleven. Inside. One day we will return to who we were then. A personal internal battle occurs when we can't be true to that first-self we were as children before puberty set in. Our adult hardships, heartaches, failures, and successes accumulate allowing the eleven-year-old to bloom again - if we let her (or him) - as a form of self-preservation. With the mature confidence of experience while retaining the joy and enthusiasm of that inner kid, we can set-off down a path personalized in a way no other influence can lead. And you don't need to buy anything to make your future happen. The combination of the adult "us" plus the youthful "us" sets a person free. Brighter, stronger, and richer than the imaginings which charted our games of tag and kick-the-can because we've lived a little.
When I was eleven, I dreamed of riding racehorses. Through his words, the writer Walter Farley was my hero who introduced me to a wider world. While riding my pony, I imagined myself to be his character Alec riding the exceptional racehorse "the Black." High in the saddle, hair blowing behind me. We, the horse and me, would ride the wind together. Each trail a new adventure.
Time passed and I grew. The dedicated life of a jockey would not be for me. My unlikely first career was modeling. For someone as shy as I've always been, it was quite strange for me to be in front of a camera, but I enjoyed the work, traveling and meeting new people. Seven years or so I helped to present products of all kinds, including clothing and cars.
I don't know if I'm able to take to the air any longer, I need to get in the saddle again and give it a try. The love of animals and nature never left my heart. It has been the foundation that my life is constructed upon. A year at a time, I've accumulated many experiences the world has presented. Now I choose to follow in Walter Farley's footsteps instead of his character Alec's. Today I write. Maybe tomorrow I'll ride.
Homecoming can and will happen wherever you are: on your couch or on top of a mountain. Although you may be deep in a journey, you may not need to go anywhere to find yourself. You are already where you need to be, with the one who is your foundation - you. Time will take you to your own doorstep. We are all eleven. Inside.