Thoughts for the Week:

There's a musical mini-series in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe this week, "Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe." This story has special meaning for anyone -- child or adult -- who has ever felt unhappy about being "different."

Pretending is one of the ways children can come to feel comfortable about who they are. In play, they can "become" someone else for a while, someone else with different characteristics and motives. They can try out a variety of roles; and, with the help of a trusted adult, they can sort out reality from fantasy and perhaps come to feel better about who they really are.

Every one of us has characteristics that make us different from everyone else. We can all learn to value ourselves and each other as individuals, capable of finding fulfillment in life and capable of giving and receiving in very special ways. That's what Josephine the Short-Neck Giraffe finally does. She's finally able to sing "I'm Glad I'm The Way I Am."