Being Cool (at any age :-)

My oldest daughter is 10 1/2 now. The "cool" conversations have already begun and actually been around for a couple of years. In 2nd grade, my daughter came home almost in tears because a friend told her she wasn't cool. Cosette was playing with Barbies at the time. My heart sank that she has to now juggle this ambivilous standard that is always changing at a young 8 years old.

We all have had our struggles with wanting to be "cool". It's one of those things you can't define but know it when you see it. The problem is most people have a different definition of what being "cool" is and it changes almost daily.

Now, at 45 I still carry around a small need to want to be considered cool by my world around me. I wasn't all that cool growing up by many's standards but I have been blessed by incredible friends that didn't really care if I wanted to wear my rainbow shirt with matching ribbons in my very long hair :-).
The people in your life are the ones that matter and my kids will learn that but right now being cool is important at some level. Cool often means fitting in or being liked or being invited. Cool means kids walk around with you at recess and want to sit with you at lunch. So I get it. Who doesn't want to be included?

But I've been thinking about what I consider cool NOW. At this season of life. So I decided to create my Cool List and welcome you to contribute as well :-) It does not include all the latest tech stuff although those ARE cool :-), but it's what I think is pretty awesome. So here goes......

Cool means....

• Feeling just as much love from your hubby because he cleaned your car as much as receiving flowers.
• Making pizza picnics on the floor with the kids on Friday Pizza Night.
• Seniors weekly making quilts to give to people all over the world enduring cancer treatments.
• Letting your 6 year old put neon pink nail polish on your nails.
• Seeing elderly couples hold hands and kiss at the park.
• Fathers who still kiss their grown kids on the head.
• Watching the Royal Wedding.
• Reading actual books in a big comfy chair at Barnes and Noble with Passion Fruit Iced Tea.
• Praying with your kids at night.
• Friends who can hear in your voice without you saying more than "fine" and hear them say, "I'll be right over."
• Going through the kids' baby photographs together.
• Being the kid who says, "C'mon, we're waiting for you!" on the playground.
• Long phone conversations.
• Sweatpants.
• Family movie nights in the middle of the week.
• Great compassionate teachers.
• Saying hi to your neighbors as they pull out of their driveways.
• Listening to The Beatles, Journey, Survivor, Genesis and Boston and the kids liking it.
• Hearing your daughter say she wants to live next door to you all her life.
• Used cars paid off early.
• Camping and S'mores.
• Making it up the long hill on your bike finally.
• Love.
• Having your son still sit close at night.
• Chopsticks and Panda Express.
• Drop in visits from friends who don't care what your house looks like.
• Planting flowers.
• Long lunches with childhood friends.
• Quail babies at springtime.
• Corn on the cob.
• Water slides.
• Forgiveness.
• Matt's nachos.
• Spontaneous pool parties.
• Joy.
• Christmas.
• God.

So much more....... :-)

What is your cool list?www.facebook.com/mary.a.quillin