When I was in 5th grade, they were doing construction on our school, so there was orange plastic fencing all around the playground to keep us away from the construction. There was a girl in my class who would spend every day at recess running up and down that fencing pretending to be the animal she chose that day (usually a horse or a wolf) and making those animal noises at the construction workers. I can still feel the way I'd get a lump in my throat and how my heart would ache and my face would flush hot to know that people viewed her as weird just because they didn't understand. They couldn't pretend and imagine like that anymore. And how on earth can my girl only be 3 years away from that age already??
Spring is bringing so much goodness. Outside playing and so much more sunshine (even if it's pouring today!) and flowers and blooming trees and feet in the grass and dirty hands and seeds being planted almost every day. And this. My new project that feels so tiny and so huge and makes my heart want to burst and is the reason I've been a bit absent from this blog space right now, but it's not forever and I can't wait to share more!
Just leaving some love for your Mama heart. I know that fear so well.
ReplyDeleteMy heart just tightened a little bit, knowing what you are facing and having watched her grow... for so long now. Fifth grade is such a challenging time, and much more so now than when I was there! Thank goodness you have a few years to help her understand what it's all about and to help her build some tools to use. Find those other girls, who will support her and splash alongside her. Help them become "those girls..." the ones who are ok with the differences, and quietly laugh at the silliness of it all... but who the others leave alone, because somehow, they know "those girls" get something, they don't. Find 4H or some other group, where there are like minded kids, that she can be a tribe with. If she isn't going to fit into the group that notices how she eats, thank God! Admittedly, it's a hard road... your eyes will sting and burn more than once, but she will come out far better off... down the road.
ReplyDeleteAs always your photos bring me so much joy! I love your work! Did those daffs naturalize like that? Or, did you plant them??