What are the messages from our childhood that we carry with us? Most of us do NOT rememer the positive "you can do it" message--we remember the negative ones.

Did a parent always say:

-- Hurry up (or else was implied)
-- Sit still
-- Be good
-- Stand up straight
-- Be careful
-- Don't be so bossy.

I can hear some of those in my memory, can you? They weren't always said to be harmful;it's something parents say. The "be careful" seems to have different meaning for boys. Boys get hurt playing hard and rough, riding fast. Girls, well, you know ...

The "be careful" lifestyle many of us learned in our childhood can stay with us forever. The controls many parents but on their child for behavior prevents us from taking care of ourselves in adult relationships. Saying NO can be tough for some--even if it's the perfect word.

The author's greatest fear in life is loss of control. The "hurry up" that was drummed into her, stuck, and caused her physical and emotional problems. She always had to hurry up with projects (a self-imposed goal). Sometimes you just must lose control...thus the chapter "Say It With Eggs." She and friends find some secluded trees and throw eggs at them. All the while, they shout words like "No!," "Stop," "Go away," "Don't." It's about the NO we were not allowed to say in our childhood home.

Too many people have been brought up with many rules and more shame than acceptance. Much of that can come out in physical ways as we age and our body alerts us to things we must deal with. The author said, "Life is a hall of mirrors. Sometimes it can help heal us; sometimes it can scare the wits out of us."

Pat is a speaker, writer, workshop facilitator who encourages us to be aware of our body and the words we use to describe emotions: pain in the neck, can't stomach, heavy burden, etc. Where do our emotions go?

Armchair Interviews says: Bring on the eggs! Body Odyssey tells us that our body is a storyteller--we just have to listen.

Body Odyssey: Lessons from the Bones and Belly is an inspirational memoir by international speaker on conscious aging and body wisdom Pat Samples. Chapters reflect upon the milestone of turning 50, how misperceptions handed down by the author's mother were revealed as untrue, and the inner wonder and wisdom of growing old gracefully. A motivational story grounded in firsthand experience, especially recommended for readers striving to accept and see the positive sides to growing grey.