The Yellow Door Life

When I think about one of the best parts of my life, I always reminisce about the 90s.

Everything was just better then; simpler too.

I spent a lot of time playing in the backyard with my dogs.

All of my toys had names and jobs.

I had a really great best friend and lots of other friends that I loved.

Looking back now, it was almost like I lived in a bubble. Bad things happened like they always do, but I always felt safe and I always felt at home.

Another great aspect of the 90s?

The TV shows.

A couple weeks ago, I was scrolling through Facebook and a picture popped up saying it was the 32nd Anniversary of the day Power Rangers debuted on TV.

That post instantly dated me because I know in just a couple weeks I am turning 35.

The Power Rangers were a huge part of my childhood. Whether I was watching the show with my best friend or acting out the karate moves by myself in my bedroom. I really thought I would grow up with superpowers and fight evil one day.

I loved Kimberly, the Pink Power Ranger, because of course pink was one of my favorite colors (and still is), but because she seemed so cool and put-together. Plus, she was dating Tommy, so she was just the best.

I was beyond excited when Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie came out. I couldn’t wait to see how they were going to defeat Ooze and kick all that evil butt.

It was part of who I was.

It’s funny, because when they announced our Homecoming dress-up days for last week, I knew I was going to do the 90s for Decades Day, because what else would I do?

I searched to see if I could get a Power Rangers costume here in time, but that wasn’t going to happen, so instead, I decided to incorporate one of my Power Ranger stories into my lesson.

The story in question was prompted by a negative encounter with a Sprouts employee that weekend where she followed me around the store, seemingly convinced I was a shoplifter, so I asked the kids:

Ironically, the only time I have ever stolen anything was Power Rangers fueled.

In kindergarten, one of my classmates brought her Pink Power Ranger action figure to school and left it in her cubby. I was so jealous, and for some reason, my mom wouldn’t buy me one of my own. I knew I had to have it, so I took it.

Someone must have seen me though, because later that afternoon, after school, my mom got a call from my teacher.

She confronted me, and me being very uncomfortable with lying, I told her the truth.

The next day, I had to bring my treasured contraband back to its rightful owner.

Not only did I have to give it back, but I had to apologize to her and her mom in front of my teacher and my mom.

The embarrassment alone deterred me from future thievery attempts, but what I realized in retelling that story almost 30 years later to my students was this:

Even with some of the stupid mistakes I made as a kid, I wouldn’t trade my memories or history for anything.

I’m trying to get the kids to understand the moral of each story we read (or the ones I tell) and more than anything, I want them to understand that their mistakes don’t define them.

I never did get my Pink Power Ranger action figure, but at least I didn’t develop Kleptomania.

There’s always a bright side to everything.

❤