I have a little secret that I only share with one person – my five-year-old nephew. You see, even though I’m 33 years old, I still consider myself a kid at heart. And my nephew is the only one who knows this secret.
It all started a few months ago when he innocently asked me, “Auntie Franny, are you a grown-up?” I couldn’t help but smile at his question. I paused for a moment, looked around as if I were about to tell him the biggest secret in the world, and replied in a hushed tone, “I’m still a kid, but you can’t tell anyone because no one else knows.”
This revelation blew his mind. His eyes widened with excitement, and he whispered back to me, “I KNEW IT!” From that moment on, our special secret was born. Every time we see each other, he makes sure to come up to me and whisper, “Don’t worry, Auntie Franny, I haven’t told them,” as if protecting our shared secret.
Our secret kid connection doesn’t end there. Even when we’re video chatting with my sister, he finds a way to acknowledge our secret bond. He’ll sneak an obvious wink, and of course, I always wink back. It’s our way of saying, “Remember, we’re both kids at heart, no matter what anyone else thinks.”
It’s amazing how something as simple as embracing my inner child has brought so much joy to both of us. Whether it’s his curious questions about my life as a “secret kid” or our little winks that speak volumes, our connection reminds me that age is just a number.
So, as I go through my day-to-day life, juggling responsibilities and adulting, I find comfort in knowing that there’s a secret part of me that only my nephew knows. And honestly, it’s a secret I plan to keep for as long as I can.
After all, life is too short to take ourselves too seriously. And sometimes, we all need a little reminder to embrace our inner child and find joy in the simplest moments.
