I was on my way out to walk the dog yesterday when Felicity begged to come. I shut off my iPod with a sigh and a smile; yes, I’d love for her to join me. Is there anything as sweet as a 6-year-old, I wonder? Truly, few things are.
We walked hand-in-hand and she talked nonstop. The dog lunged here and there.
Just up the road is a field of wildflowers; it’s our favorite spot and for good reason. Purple, white and yellow flowers—big clumps of color, as far as the 6-year-old eye can see!
(Ellie the dog really likes this field too. I have no idea what it is that she smells, but clearly it is exhilarating and abundant.)
Felicity, being Felicity, was careful in choosing a small bouquet. She would put them in water when she got home. Soon she had finished and she rejoined me, slipping her free hand back in mine. Her eyes were shining.
Eventually I let go of her hand to clean up after Ellie, and in her joy Felicity began to skip. I watched as her sandal caught on a rock; she fell face first and started crying.
It pained me to see her fall, of course. She had scraped her knee and it was bleeding. Even worse than the blood, though, was that small bouquet. The flowers had scattered and through her tears, Felicity gathered them all back up.
It was watching those little hands that got me.
I can’t stop the hurt any more than I can the growing.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
Oh how heartbreaking…and how true.
Hope your little dear is feeling better! There's nothing quite like those knee scrapes and cuts.
Lovely post. So sweet, those little girls.
Oh, that brought tears to my eyes, how sweet and so very true. I love how you captured her good naturedness in this beautiful post.
Sweet little skinned knees. Six is beautiful.
You have painted every mother's growing pains in these words. Bitter sweet.
I remember Brenna falling down the stairs when she was a wee thing. She cried so hard, I thought she must have been in some great pain! But no. It was concern for her dropped baby doll that had her so upset.
PS Don't let go.
You are NOT supposed to make my eyes well with tears this morning! Very lovely.
🙂
Beautiful post…My oldest, Peter, who is 9 had a pretty bad scrape yesterday and I thought about how much older and how brave he was about it all.
Absolutely lovely! When my little ones fall down, I actually get a pain in my stomach. There is nothing like that connection. So sweet that she picked up her bouquet in spite of her fall. 6 is one of my favorite ages!