Hi there. Long time, no chat. I’m making my way through this year, trying to figure out how life is going to be now. It’s taking time. I’m catching glimpses of beauty every day, even in the sadness. It seems to make it all the more sweet.
Greyley and I met a girl yesterday. Her name was Mariah and she was a tiny little girl. I’m not sure how old~she could have been anywhere from 6-9 years old. It was hard to tell because she was so petite. I smiled at her when we sat down in the doctor’s waiting room and she smiled back. It was just a blink later and she was standing in front of me, chatting away. She could hardly breathe, she was so stopped up, and her mom slipped a mask over her face and kept telling her to back up from me, but she paid her no mind. Before I knew it, she had crawled in my lap against her mom’s protests. I reassured her mom that I had fallen just as hard for her girl as she had for me and I nestled her in closer and breathed in her sweetness. We covered some ground in quick time, talking about her Little Pony game, her favorite color being pink (!!!), and that she has a feeding tube.
We were very sad when the doctor came out to tell us it was time for our appointment. I told Mariah I hoped we were able to see her again and that she better remember me. I said, LORILORILORILORILORI, super duper fast so she would remember my name and her laugh filled the whole room.
When we were walking away, I heard her ask her mom what Lori’s sister’s name was again, and Greyley and I smiled at each other. (Clearly, Mariah was oblivious to my grey hairs peeking through…) Greyley and I were both completely smitten, our steps were lighter and happier from meeting such a sweet person.
Sometimes it takes seeing the genuine joy in someone who has it harder than we do. Recognizing that they’re conquering their difficulties and still able to be silly and share their big hearts with others…well, it just makes me want to do better. Be better. Love better.
It will totally be worth it if I get sick.