Thank Heaven for Little Girls

"I don't need no one
To tell me about heaven.
I look at my daughter
And I believe. . . " - Live



While I was busy in the kitchen, my five year old was making a birthday card for her cousin. I carefully printed, "Happy Birthday" on her writing tablet so that she could practice it and copy it.

"That's not how I write!"

"But that's the correct way to write it. Why don't you try?"

"I can't!" No, not the tears. Why do there always have to be tears??

"Here, sweetie. . . this is how my teacher showed me to do it. . . " Her fifteen year old sister slipped into the chair behind her and wrapped her arms around her younger version, exhibiting the patience that I was still trying to conjure.

I just stood there and watched them. And I realized that the arguments over clothing and friends and not saying, "Sure, why not?" every time I asked her to do something were trivial. When it comes down to it, my daughter is a kind and caring young woman. And a good person.

I should be proud that I raised her to be such, but in the end, she makes her own choices. . . and I cannot take credit for that. Well, maybe just a little. . .but only the good ones.