Little Flowers

Sometimes the core of who we are gets lost along the way.  It’s good to remember the freshness of youth.  One day I was sitting at the kitchen table.  My five-year-old ran up to me, grabbed me around my shoulders with all her might, and buried her nose in my hair.  It smelled of lavender.  I often put lavender oil in my hair after washing and conditioning because I love its scent.  I am amazed at the lovely smell from such a small flower.   She breathed in deep, with the whole of her little body and what she said next made me smile and cry.  She said, “Mommy, I want to live in your hair!”  She seemed to be elated and described at length how she would live in my hair and what that whole experience would incur.  A child’s mind is so beautiful.  They often say what’s on their minds with no inhibitions, no motive, and no rehearsal.  They are 100% in the moment and often wonder why we are not.

There have been several times in life where the hustle and noise of life made me stop and think about the little girl I once was.  I remember our family was going through some difficulties.  At the time I was about ten or so.  On this particular day I was fed up with my ten year old life.  I remember going outside.  We lived in a huge apartment complex.   So sometimes I would just walk around, think, and explore.  It was windy that day; really windy.   I remember looking up a lot.  At the blue and the clouds I wondered to God.  After a while I returned home.  Determined, I wrote a letter on a plain sheet of white paper with a red Sharpie marker because it was all I could find.  I folded it up, addressed it to God with a handmade stamp in the upper right corner.  Confident, letter in hand, I returned to the wind outside.  Standing in the middle of the parking lot I remember raising my arm straight up to the sky, closing my eyes and opening my fingers.  I remember standing there watching it blow up and away through the air.  I felt satisfied.  I went back inside.  A few months ago I found myself asking where is THAT girl.  Did she still exist?

What is it about children that make them fierce and delicate at the same time?  They are bold, uninhibited, precious little people with huge hearts…literally walking oxymorons.  Such a beautiful scent from such small flowers!  Have a wonderful day!