As I drove out tonight, I looked up and saw the full moon in the sky. I took a moment to acknowledge my place underneath it. As I started driving again, I drove down the street past other cars, and we were like ants scurrying along on our busy way, oblivious beneath the moon.
And this is what I thought tonight, under the moon, the week of my girl’s tenth birthday.
Little daughter, I like you. I like the way you think. I know that sometimes I get mad at you because you cannot remember your hairbrush. But I think that you see what’s really important and pay attention to that instead. You are always watching and thinking.
When you were four, still round and wearing pigtails, the whole team was in a huddle–except for you. The coach couldn’t figure out who was missing. You were far away, sitting in the grass, looking up at the clouds, oblivious. We all laughed and I put my hand to my forehead. But what was more important? Being alive under that sky, or soccer practice?
As you grow older, I hope to help you find a way to remember all the dumb little things you have to do, while cherishing your uniqueness and helping keep it alive. I hope you never stop being “spacey.” I hope that you never stop being so very interested in absolutely everything, so vivacious, so creative.
Little daughter, you know the way. I’m sorry for all the times I didn’t understand that. But I do know it. You are so interesting, and I hope I can grow up to be more like you.
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