Think back to when you were a kid. What were you like? Do you remember? I think that most of us have an idea of what our personalities were like as children-- either from pictures, family stories or what our parents, siblings or other family members told us. I see memories from my past in movie form. Not like my whole life in a movie, but I remember certain scenes, random places and times from a third-party view. As if I am in the corner of the room filming it.

Back then I see the little me as always observing people. I watched interactions between people, studied people's unique gestures, and noticed the body language of people interacting in a group. If I thought one of my mom's friends was pretty, I wanted to be like her. I mimicked their gestures, listened to the flirting between the adults, watched my mom hostess.

I know back then I never liked standing out, preferring instead to blend in. I never liked doing much that was scary, silly or risky. I wanted to be liked and I definitely did not want to do anything wrong. While not shy, I rarely took center stage or wowed anyone. And I liked it that way.

Question of the Week #16 / If you had to describe yourself as a child in one word, what would it be?

The first word that comes to mind when I see myself from that third-party perspective , is cautious.

I was cautious as a kid.

The kind of kid that followed the rules and didn't break things, have accidents or get stitches. (Until I was 14 and got bit by a dog.)

So what word describes you as a small person?

P.S. .....and if you'd care to share how memories from your childhood come to you, I'd love to know.