Whenever I eat a sandwich, tortilla, piece of pizza-you name it-I eat the outside edges off first. If there are two halves, I eat the outside edge of both halves, then the middles. I do this without thinking, it’s habit. When asked why, I always say something like, “the middle is the best part! I’m saving the best for last.” Which is true, but maybe there is more to it than that.
I was out for dinner with my sister and a good mutual friend last week. As we chatted away, catching up, I nonchalantly and unconsciously ate around the edges of my first sandwich half, set it down, then did the same on my second. After I had finished doing so on my second half, I set it back down on my plate. At that moment, my sister looked at my plate and laughed outloud. She jokingly said, “What are you Martha, a 5 year old?” All three of us had a little laugh, me responding with, “you’re my sister, seriously you didn’t know I did this?!”
After a minute or so of this back and forth my sister said, laughing, “Actually, it’s not like you’re a 5 year old, it’s like you’re getting your food ready FOR a 5 year old!” All three of us paused for a second, saying almost in unison, “You are! You are taking care of little 5 year old Martha!!” With more laughter.
And, while we were playfully joking about all this, it really struck a chord. Maybe I, capable adult Martha who has no issue with crusts, eat the edges off my sandwiches first for the primary reason of taking care of my little 5 year old inside. I have no clear memory of having an issue with crusts as a child, but I also grew up in a house where having the crusts cut off was simply not an option. My little 5 year old wouldn’t have even considered asking for it. Maybe it was always one of her wildest secret desires!
Good news is, times are different for her now! Today, little Martha has big Martha taking care of her and big Martha doesn’t mind taking the edges of off EVERYTHING first, so the little girl gets the gooey, tasty, best middle part. It makes my heart warm to think about it. I can promise you this, I’ll never eat another crust without thinking about my little 5 year old and sending her love!
What are some ways that you consciously or unconsciously take care of your little 5 year old? I’d love to hear below!
I see YOU,
Martha
Aurora Life-Purpose Coaching 
Comments on: "My Little 5 Year Old" (7)
Wonderful article Martha and so true!! Our inner child has so many unmet needs and for a long time, I wasn’t even aware that my adult self could now fulfill those needs! Every once in a while I will take my inner 5 year old to the park and we enjoy swinging. The only problem is, my adult self has a much larger butt than that little 5 year old ever did. After a while those swings hurt and it’s time to go home! LOL
I love the idea of swinging Mary! Maybe sometime little Martha and little Mary can swing together 🙂
Awww… I love that you take care of your little 5 year old that way! I can’t think of anything off the top of my head, but you’ve inspired me to pay attention and find out what I do for my 5 year old and start doing it more consciously and sending her love when I do it! I LOVE this!!
Martha, i love the idea of feeding our five-year-old selves the yummy middle. (And I love picturing you nibbling off those crusts.) i like to let the five year old in me scream her name at the top of her lungs while pumping her fists in the air. Always reminds me who I am. Thanks for posting this. Time to go shout my own name.
This really touched me. My 5 year-old probably needs a little more TLC and a ton of more fun. Thanks for sharing your ‘crust story’. Unique …just like you. 🙂
I too eat the crusts off first before eating the juicy stuff on the inside and it’s definitely about saving the best for last. However, I was never made to eat my crusts because my mum hated them too. She used to hide them under her plate and her mum would dispose of them without her dad seeing. Did I learn not to like them or are they really just yuk?
Martha this is so beautiful and has called to me to pay attention of the ways I take care of my little Cathy as well. Thanks for the post :).