My Hero

Imagine for me, if you will, four children, two girls (one ~5, the other ~2 years old) and two boys (same ages). It's a warm summer day. The girls are entering the boys' back yard, where they are filling up a little swimming pool in the yard with a hose. The little girl steps right into the kiddie pool, quietly watching the rest of the kids play. The older girl is a bit more hesitant. She's seen what little boys are all about and she is not so ready to trust that this is a good scene.

Sure enough, the older little boy, who is apparently hyped up on pounds of sugar/caffeine/maybe something a little illegal? grabs the water hose and is dancing around in and out of the pool, screaming like a banshee, flailing his arms around and generally launching full scale attack on the older girl. Water is spraying in her face, which is also occasionally getting smacked by the hose itself or his arms/hands/feet. The sound of his screeching voice assaults her ears and she simply does not know how to respond to this offense.

Having barely put one toe into the pool, she promptly stomps right out of it, stands on the edge, crosses her arms under her arm pits in a defiant "hurumph!" and launches a furious scowl in his direction. Needless to say, the scowl does very little to slow down this possessed creature who seems capable of occupying a multiplicity of spaces at once, coming at the helpless pouter from every angle. Every now and then she ads a shake of her head to emphasize the scowl, an extra "humph" to her crossed arms, an occasional little stomp of her foot, but nothing phases him, even as the frizz in her hair grows to an unsightly scale. The spray of water gets broader, the cacophony from his lungs gets louder and more shrill, this loop of chaos and perturbedness [yes i did just make up this word] may go on into infinity. It seems that there is no hope for the helpless little bathing beauty.

But lo! We have forgotten. In the background is the younger girl. Younger, smaller, and completely forgotten to this rampant bully, she is seemingly inconsequential. But no. As his frantic movements have caused him to move on from his firm grip on the hose, the little girl calmly takes hold of her opportunity. She picks that hose up, she fixes him in her sights, and she sprays that boy like he is chipped paint that needs to be power washed off the side of an old house. Without an ounce of malice, there is nothing but delight in her eyes as david-et chases off goliath, and his crony. She doesn't stop until he is entirely out of the picture, and she celebrates her triumph with an exuberant and joy filled laugh that arches her back and brings out the worlds most adorable dimples.

Very slowly, the arms come uncrossed, the scowl softens into a pleased little grimace, and ever so gracefully the older, more helpless and irritable sister steps lightly into the pool where she and her more heroic sister can now safely enjoy an afternoon in the sun.

And Scene.

This is my best attempt at narrating a clip from some home videos of my sister and I we got to watch together as a family over Thanksgiving break. I can not do it justice. I have to say, the real thing left us literally rolling on the floor. I do not know how Sofia stayed asleep through all that laughter.

I was humbled by this little scene, how much better she handled that creep than I did. It gave me the most exhilarating sense of triumph of good over evil, over having been protected and rescued. Power and grace and laughter all wrapped up into one very little person. That little person has grown into a gorgeous, thoughtful, talented, smart and successful young woman. She has grown into one of the very best friends I ever could have wished for. I am so grateful for her and want to wish her the happiest of birthdays today!

I love you Sissy/Mine Tonight/Coffee/Aunt Nina/Laur Bear/Ta La/Lauren Noelle Stewart!