Shhh! - It's A Secret!

Checking the mail used to be one of my favorite things to do before the invention of email. I would open the lid to our mailbox wondering what the pile would bring. It used to be quite often that I would hear from a friend or loved one. Every now and then I still do. But usually when I look at the mail on a typical day, I am not surprised that the postal system is having problems making ends meet. Most of my mail goes directly into the recycling bin.

But not today. Today I find an intriguing envelope with the words:

TOP SECRET
Only to: Marek
From: Annabel

You can see by the address that the postal system didn't make money on this one.

I restrain myself from peering into the contents. I try to pretend that I respect my children's privacy... But for the record, what a way to create curiosity! Perhaps Annabel should consider a career as a publicist! ...And I leave the letter on the kitchen table for Marek when he comes home from school.

I am not fond of secrets. Secrets make my imagination go wild.

I worry that the secret is about me. "Marek, did you know your Mom smells like dirty socks?"

And I worry that the secret is something dangerous. "Marek, let's go light some dirty socks on fire!"

And I worry the secret leads to more secrets. "Marek, would you hide my dirty, burnt up socks from my Mom?"

Realistically I know we are not there yet. But baby secret steps must come first.

I know there are good secrets. Like the thank you surprise secret the preschool kids have been making for Oscar's teachers. I wonder if any of the five-year olds have disclosed this secret to the recipients yet. It is so tempting to tell a secret. A secret is powerful.

I remember one of my southern belle friends coyishly stating, "One should always have a secret or two of their own," in reference to her husband. I have thought of this through the years now that I have a husband too. But do I have any secrets from my husband? Is it a secret that I don't have any secrets?

I have always been a pretty open person. Don't confuse quiet with secret. I may not volunteer much data, but if you ask, I'll tell you exactly what I think. Tact has never been one of my strong points. "Radical Honesty" not only clears the air, but is quite entertaining.

Today we stumbled upon a hidden glade of trees in the midst of the recreation center open space. I am fond of secret gardens.

The kids have been schooling themselves in closed doors, secret places, secret games, and secret code words.

Grandpa says that Marek showed him all his secret places in our backyard.

Yesterday Grandma Kathleen overheard the boys say, "Let's go out and do something secret!"

An hour or so after Marek gets home, he asks me to read him Annabel's secret note. This makes me happy. The secret is too important for Marek to trust his own reading skills. I won't tell you what it says. I'll keep the secret and leave you wondering other than there was no mention of dirty socks.

But I sure would like to know what Marek wrote back to Annabel.