The other day I was talking with my group of kids at daycare about the history of dreamcatchers and how many Indigenous people believe that dreamcatchers can filter good and bad energies and/or dreams while a person sleeps.  The discussion lead into a art activity where each child made his/her own dreamcatcher to take home and hang up beside his/her bed.  One boy asked me if he should keep his dreamcatcher with him during the day for protection.  Before I could answer, a little girl, who has always been wise beyond her years, replied, "No, because you can control whether your thoughts are good or bad when you are awake."  I could not (and still can't) get over how brilliant and, well, true her response was. It reminded me of a quote by the philosopher Marcus Aurelius: “Our life is what our thoughts make it," in that I, personally, believe that our attitude(s) have a huge effect on our day-to-day life (i.e. whether you spend it optimistic or pessimistic.)  Sometimes, however, when I get caught up in the stress from external factors such as work, school, and family matters, I end up forgetting this concept - that happiness can come from the inside - that you need to look at the bigger picture and see the good. Young children can really put things into perspective; do you want to have a good day or a bad day?  From now on when I wake up, I'm going to look at the dreamcatcher beside my bed that one of the kids at daycare made me and ask myself that very question. 



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