twenty-one years
year one
came into this world an old soul - knowing much more than us, howling and kicking with all that knowledge.swimming soothed her - our little selkie daughter.
year two
trouble. wouldn't keep her clothes on - the best we could do was keep her in osh-kosh over-alls...no shirt, no shoes. pinched her nana and said,"i don't like you" to which the sweetest woman on the face of the earth replied, "i'm not too fond of you either."
year three
began nursery school...the world opened up and new friends were made. i realized that her world would stretch beyond ours. i cried.
year four
wild-haired...blonde, butt-lengthed, crazy curls. a lion's mane for the daring little girl with the heart of the lion. she will protect and defend her friends at any cost.
year five
the howling, screaming and the fighting the world calmed...became happy and comfortable in her own skin. never walking, always running, glowing. the thumb in the mouth and the blanket in tow.
year six
dresses, tu-tu's, cowgirl boots, crazy tights, boas, flowery bonnets, pajama's, over-all's, high heels, lace, ribbons, baseball caps. six outfits a day. minimum.
year seven
apartment full of, and crazy with, friends. rooms jammed with artwork and books. first crush on a teacher....ms. daggs.
year eight
first best-est friend. the hyde girls were inseparable. with suskia's influence science projects were introduced...dissecting snails, etc. bringing astrid and suskia into our lives is one of her greatest gifts to me.
year nine
singing and dancing and laughing and crying and everything in between. a wonderful rare shimmering whirlwind in our lives.
year ten
barefoot walks to the beach. the selkie was drawn daily to the ocean just down the road. friends, old and new, in every nook and cranny of our house. laughter.
year eleven
school across the street. rose out of bed five minutes before first bell. boys. she found all the sensitive caring sweet boys.
year twelve
dances, parties, painting, drawing, reading, singing, witchcraft, twirling, spinning, glowing, stunning.
year thirteen
surrounded by friends. the age-old boy-girl dance. running towards each other and away at the same time. giggling. art nights and hair dye, running in the dark. the gift to me of bringing the graham family into our lives.
year fourteen
new school. the struggle with the loss of friends. the heartache settled on us all like darkness. we all were drenched in a thousand tears. but the old soul rose above it and lifted her from the ground...the fighting and kicking and screaming of the earlier years resurfaced. her resiliency and courage startling. a sweeter happier life was fought for and won.
year fifteen
miracles, laughter. heartaches, boys, art night, laughter, dramas, mysteries, laughter, light, warmth, magnetism, compassion, my heartbeat, my teacher.
year sixteen
rollercoaster continues. she graciously and open-heartedly accepts the new change i wraught upon her life. new family, new home. always willing to bend when asked...always giving. still my teacher.
year seventeen
driving. her world expanding. the unknown future looming ahead. thriving at school...still laughing, still spinning, still shining.
year eighteen
queen of the ball, glowing. heart breaking and tears streaming, in her cap and gown. my heart, my reason for being born now a high school graduate. my right leg leaving in biff for monterey and college. intelligent, beautiful, funny, strong, sensitive, lion-hearted, magical gift.
year nineteen
struggling to find her best path. soul-searching, questioning, doubt, fear,...being an adult has arrived. choices. chances. finds a new way. i have faith in her choices. i have faith in her.
year twenty
on her own. happy healthy, hard-working, dedicated, crazy, infectious, disarming wit, still a whirlwind, still glowing.
year twenty-one
our little girl. i know that her biggest blessing is also her curse...the capacity of her heart. she can be blindsided by the beautiful as well as the brutal. she struggles with the heartache of each.
being with her is being reminded of living every minute, of desire and passion for life, of real love and a thousand other things you'd long ago forgotten.
being around her puts bubbles in my blood.
i wrote this for jess on her twenty first birthday. at the age of twenty three she is still my teacher.
year one
came into this world an old soul - knowing much more than us, howling and kicking with all that knowledge.swimming soothed her - our little selkie daughter.
year two
trouble. wouldn't keep her clothes on - the best we could do was keep her in osh-kosh over-alls...no shirt, no shoes. pinched her nana and said,"i don't like you" to which the sweetest woman on the face of the earth replied, "i'm not too fond of you either."
year three
began nursery school...the world opened up and new friends were made. i realized that her world would stretch beyond ours. i cried.
year four
wild-haired...blonde, butt-lengthed, crazy curls. a lion's mane for the daring little girl with the heart of the lion. she will protect and defend her friends at any cost.
year five
the howling, screaming and the fighting the world calmed...became happy and comfortable in her own skin. never walking, always running, glowing. the thumb in the mouth and the blanket in tow.
year six
dresses, tu-tu's, cowgirl boots, crazy tights, boas, flowery bonnets, pajama's, over-all's, high heels, lace, ribbons, baseball caps. six outfits a day. minimum.
year seven
apartment full of, and crazy with, friends. rooms jammed with artwork and books. first crush on a teacher....ms. daggs.
year eight
first best-est friend. the hyde girls were inseparable. with suskia's influence science projects were introduced...dissecting snails, etc. bringing astrid and suskia into our lives is one of her greatest gifts to me.
year nine
singing and dancing and laughing and crying and everything in between. a wonderful rare shimmering whirlwind in our lives.
year ten
barefoot walks to the beach. the selkie was drawn daily to the ocean just down the road. friends, old and new, in every nook and cranny of our house. laughter.
year eleven
school across the street. rose out of bed five minutes before first bell. boys. she found all the sensitive caring sweet boys.
year twelve
dances, parties, painting, drawing, reading, singing, witchcraft, twirling, spinning, glowing, stunning.
year thirteen
surrounded by friends. the age-old boy-girl dance. running towards each other and away at the same time. giggling. art nights and hair dye, running in the dark. the gift to me of bringing the graham family into our lives.
year fourteen
new school. the struggle with the loss of friends. the heartache settled on us all like darkness. we all were drenched in a thousand tears. but the old soul rose above it and lifted her from the ground...the fighting and kicking and screaming of the earlier years resurfaced. her resiliency and courage startling. a sweeter happier life was fought for and won.
year fifteen
miracles, laughter. heartaches, boys, art night, laughter, dramas, mysteries, laughter, light, warmth, magnetism, compassion, my heartbeat, my teacher.
year sixteen
rollercoaster continues. she graciously and open-heartedly accepts the new change i wraught upon her life. new family, new home. always willing to bend when asked...always giving. still my teacher.
year seventeen
driving. her world expanding. the unknown future looming ahead. thriving at school...still laughing, still spinning, still shining.
year eighteen
queen of the ball, glowing. heart breaking and tears streaming, in her cap and gown. my heart, my reason for being born now a high school graduate. my right leg leaving in biff for monterey and college. intelligent, beautiful, funny, strong, sensitive, lion-hearted, magical gift.
year nineteen
struggling to find her best path. soul-searching, questioning, doubt, fear,...being an adult has arrived. choices. chances. finds a new way. i have faith in her choices. i have faith in her.
year twenty
on her own. happy healthy, hard-working, dedicated, crazy, infectious, disarming wit, still a whirlwind, still glowing.
year twenty-one
our little girl. i know that her biggest blessing is also her curse...the capacity of her heart. she can be blindsided by the beautiful as well as the brutal. she struggles with the heartache of each.
being with her is being reminded of living every minute, of desire and passion for life, of real love and a thousand other things you'd long ago forgotten.
being around her puts bubbles in my blood.
i wrote this for jess on her twenty first birthday. at the age of twenty three she is still my teacher.
2 comments:
Ahh....I love this piece! I think I know that girl! Well done. Great blog. (By the way, I crack up every time I see the Hunter S. Thompson photo.)
i'm glad you got the hunter s. thompson part! you don't know how many people ask why did you post such an awful photo of yourself?! anyway...great to hear from the east coast!! thanks for adding a line. hope your summer is going well. i saw all the photos on your facebook. great pictures. i have a hard time trying to figure out who's is who's!! been away far too long.....
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