Yesterday I was babysitting my five-year-old niece and three-year-old nephew. At one point they asked if we could watch “the poo song” on YouTube. I had no idea what they were talking about. A few seconds later, a cheerful song began playing with one simple message: “Everybody goes poop.”
Within moments, they were laughing, dancing, and singing along at the top of their lungs. To them, it was hilarious. To them, it was perfectly normal. Because, of course, everybody does.
It made me laugh too. But then it made me think. At what age do we decide that something every single human being does should suddenly become embarrassing?
No one pretends they don’t breathe. No one apologizes for blinking. Yet somehow we’ve learned to hide the most ordinary parts of being human.
We hide our farts.
We hide when we’re sick.
We hide bad breath.
We hide wrinkles with makeup.
We dye gray hair.
We pretend we always know what we’re doing.
We smile when we’re hurting.
We say, “I’m fine,” when we’re anything but.
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we become experts at editing ourselves.
Children don’t. They’re wonderfully honest. If they’re excited, you know it. If they’re sad, you’ll know that too. If they have to go to the bathroom, they’ll announce it to an entire restaurant without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
There’s something refreshing about that innocence. Not because adults should abandon all social etiquette, but because children haven’t yet learned to be ashamed of simply being human.
As adults, we spend an incredible amount of energy trying to appear polished. We want people to think we have everything together.
That we’re confident.
Successful.
In control.
Meanwhile, every single one of us is dealing with the same messy realities of life.
We all get tired.
We all make mistakes.
We all feel insecure.
We all worry.
We all cry.
And yes…
Everybody goes poo.
Maybe that’s why I enjoyed watching my niece and nephew dance around the living room yesterday. For a few minutes, they reminded me that being human isn’t something to hide. It’s something we all share.
Perhaps growing older shouldn’t mean becoming better at pretending.
Perhaps it should mean becoming more comfortable with the wonderfully imperfect reality that connects every one of us.
Because underneath the polished versions we present to the world…
We’re all a lot more alike than we’d ever like to admit.
Everybody goes poop!
You’re at the pool and swimming,
and you start to get that feeling.
I think you know what it’s time to do!
Take a break and go poop.
You’re outside jumping rope,
and you think you gotta go.
I think you know what it’s time to do!
Take a break and go poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Now wipe.
And flush.
And wash.
You’re sitting down and eating,
and you start to get that feeling.
I think you know what it’s time to do!
Take a break and go poop.
You’re playing in the snow,
and you think you gotta go.
I think you know what it’s time to do!
Take a break and go poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Now wipe.
And flush.
And wash.
You’re cuddling up and reading,
but you start to get that feeling.
I think you know what it’s time to do!
Take a break and go poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Poop, poop, poop.
It’s time to poop.
Poop, poop, poop.
Everybody goes poop!
Now wipe.
And flush.
And wash.
Everybody goes poop.