She marched out the door with a smile on her face,
A polka dot dress, socks edged in lace.
"We're out, Mom!" she says, not even a trace
Of sadness to temper the lack of embrace.
"Come back here and hug me!" I say
A huff and a sigh at doing things my way.
"Okay. Have a great day!"
"I love you, Mom!"
And they drive away.
I close the door and survey the mess.
Everywhere, trappings of our beautiful princess:
A pile of beads that sparkles in the sunlight
Her favorite tiara because it fits her just right.
High heels and crinoline,
Crushed velvet and satin
A princess wand tinkles under the chair I just sat in.
Up to her room to make up her bed,
A blinking light escapes her shoe on the stair tread.
Clean out the castle, make everything shine
Only the best will do for this princess of mine.
Waiting in the carpool line now
Wondering how this day has turned out
Oh! There she is! She flits to the car and tells me all about
Her "little-big" nap at rest time today
Because she was "so tired" from getting to play.
"Now. Tell me the story of Adam and Eve.
Why were they naked? Why did they believe him,
that serpent that told them the fruit was good for them?
I know what Serpent means!"
"You do? What's that?"
"It means SATAN and we don't want to trust him!"
"So true, " I say, "In Whom do we trust?"
"In God. And in Jesus. We must learn to obey Him...
But when I'm bigger I'm not gonna obey you anymore,
I'm just gonna do what I want."
"Huh." Is all I can think to respond... is she baiting me?
"Maybe you'll want to obey when you are bigger."
"I don't think so."
Well, at least she's honest right?
I love her spirit, all brown sugar and vinegar
Thinking and testing to see what it gets her
And still in her heart the compulsion to love
The Jesus she so often thinks and hears of.
Beautiful inside, gorgeous without...
She,a beloved daughter of the King
IS a Princess, no doubt.
My Norman Rockwell
15 years ago