When We Were Wee

"There are no rules, and those are the rules."

A quote I pilfered from the Jim Henson's Fantastic World exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. So sayeth Cantus Fraggle, and perfect for what I'm trying to accomplish with my writing and with my life.

This is the second time I've seen the Henson exhibit, having gone for my wedding anniversary in September, and I have to say that it is just as wonderful as it was the first time around. There is no substitute for seeing firsthand the construction of some of Henson's most complicated puppets, while learning about the evolution of the Muppets from The Frog Prince, to the Muppet Show, to Sesame Street to Fraggle Rock and the Dark Crystal. This was a man that consistently broke creative barriers without expecting any recognition or credit for it. He just took his ideas, and Made them work, even when the people around him told him it was impossible.

I do remember watching the Muppets as a young girl, hanging out in the basement with my older sister. We would sing the songs, act out scenes and rewind the videotapes over and over again. But, I didn't really appreciate the real impact of the Muppets on me until I hit college, during my first weeks as a freshman at Illinois State University. I missed my family, my friends, and my boyfriend Michael, whom I'd just started dating during March of my senior year in high school. I did not want to be there. And while the solitary part of my personality enjoyed the alone time in my dorm, the evenings and nights were tough going. I unpacked my stuff a little every night, and would come across hidden notes in my luggage from Michael, letting me know that everything was going to be OK. Well, a few nights into the unpacking I found videotapes. Every Muppet Movie. So I put one on and smiled. And then I chuckled. And then I laughed out loud. And then, before I knew it, I made it through my first year, and the next, and the next.

"There are no rules, and those are rules." Even when it comes to remedies for homesickness.