Pez Dispenser ME

Some childhood memories are tied to the smallest things.

A favorite book.

A family tradition.

A toy you treasured.

For me, one of those memories is a PEZ dispenser.

My mom rarely bought us candy, so I probably only owned one or two PEZ dispensers growing up. That may be exactly why I remember them so well. They were special.

It was never really about the candy anyway.

It was the character sitting on top. You would pull back the head, hear that satisfying click, and out popped a tiny piece of candy. There was something magical about such a simple little toy.

Today, PEZ dispensers come in hundreds of designs. There are superheroes, Disney characters, movie icons, animals, and just about anything you can imagine. People even collect them.

Then I discovered something I never imagined as a kid.

Using AI, you can create a PEZ dispenser that looks like you/

The moment I saw my cartoon version standing on top of a colorful dispenser, I couldn't stop smiling. It reminded me that growing older doesn't mean we have to stop playing or using our imagination.

Sometimes we all need permission to be a little silly.

As educators, writers, parents, grandparents, and professionals, we spend so much time solving problems and taking care of others that we forget how good it feels to simply create something because it makes us smile.

That little PEZ dispenser reminded me that creativity doesn't always have to produce something important. Sometimes its only job is to bring a little joy.

Maybe that's the real magic.

It isn't the candy.

It isn't even the dispenser.

It's the memories, the imagination, and the reminder that there is still a kid inside all of us who gets excited over something colorful and fun.

Now I'm curious.

If you could turn yourself into a PEZ dispenser, what would yours look like? And more importantly, what flavor would it dispense?

I think mine would have to be carrot cake.