Back in spring we took a day trip to the beach during our vacation in Holland. Maybe we were caught off guard at the 30-degree weather in May, or maybe we didn’t realize that Holland had some sweet beaches, but we came seriously unprepared. No swim suits or towels. Of course, Olivia made a beeline for the water, and wouldn’t be deterred by the fact that she was fully clothed and would be wet for the rest of the day. After a few minutes we gave up trying to keep her dry, stripped her down to her diaper, and had a blast playing in the water.

Anna and I came across the above quote on a card in a bookstore while we were dating, and it’s been useful ever since. To be clear, this is NOT true all the time, and when I found out it’s credited to Marilyn Monroe that didn’t really give it any credibility points. But if you, like me, are always thinking too practically and rationally to take risks, then it can be really useful.

It’s been helpful in parenting as well to realize that we’re not made of sugar, that (most) stains will come out, and that making a fool of yourself is usually a small prize to pay for making your kid laugh hysterically.

After all, the most memorable moments often happen when you just go for it.