Me and My Best Friend Nancy Drew!
I’m remembering some special times I had with a best friend, Nancy, when I was growing up. Oh, they were wonderful adventures that we took together-just Nancy and myself. And when it came to an end I had a let down that could only be compensated for in one way-a long bike ride, a coffee ice cream cone with jimmies on top and the beginning allure of the next Nancy Drew book. I guess you realize that Nancy Drew was my best friend. Wasn’t I lucky?
I think that Nancy Drew was an important icon figure to me, as a positive psychologist, because in the language of Positive Psychology, she gave me hope. She validated that I was smart. She reinforced my resiliency. After all, I figured out at least some of the mysteries before she did. She gave me such a sense of competency. If she could do it, so could I. I just hadn’t had the right opportunity yet, so for now I accompanied her.
She reinforced my strengths and interests. After all, I could figure people out. I could travel, if only my parents would let me. I could act very grown-up and be a leader. For example, I was on the Student Council. Yes, everything about her was affirming to me. Even her boyfriend gave me hope that someday I would have a boyfriend just as nice and kind and loving, In fact, Nancy Drew was probably the best therapy I had in my life from the ages of 9-11. And she didn’t even know she was a Positive Psychologist!
I guess that is why she is so important to the girl in my new fiction book, The Truth (I’m a girl, I’m smart and I know everything). My character has many of the same feelings about Nancy that I did. She is a bit more competitive with Nancy than I was. But that is ok. Everyone is different. And it is because of Nancy that she has the strength to solve an important mystery that is essential for her growing up happily. But I can’t tell. That would give a big secret away that I want you to read. After all, every author wants her book read. So of course, I can’t tell all. I’ll just give you one more clue: the mystery involves a locket. Happy reading
