I remember that little girl. She used to run to me screaming with happiness. I could see her smile and hear her laugh from a distance and always know it was her. She was the brightest among the other children..and whenever she saw me, she'd run to me yelling, "Brother!" while her pigtails and ribbons would stream behind her. I wasn't really her brother but warmth always filled up my heart and I'd catch her in my arms and twirl her around. Happiness radiated from this small girl...What a happy memory.
I watched her while she grew up. Each year, her cute puffy cheeks slimmed down into a fairer face and her eyes began to tell more than her mouth. Her innocent air from childhood began to fade as she matured into a beautiful young lady and slowly she began to gaze more at the world. She was still radiant with light, but it was changing into a soft shimmer of the moon instead of the bright blaze of the sun. Her wide smile and loud laugh became a gentle smile of understanding. "Brother", she'd say. She was too old and big to pick up and twirl. But to me, she still was the happy little girl who flung herself at life with all her heart and joy.
We sat underneath a blossoming tree and watched as the gentle breeze swooped the delicate flowers into the air and set them on the breathing earth. I watched her as her eyes followed the falling flowers...and she spoke to me but it seemed more as if she was addressing her words to Mother Nature.
"Brother...the world is a sad place"...and she gave a sad smile.
And I didn't know what to say.
