When You See Me Passing...

A lesson that Little Butterfly teaches me every day (besides that eating cookies before noon truly does make the morning happier), is how to be more courageous. I don't just mean being brave enough to slide down a giant wall of sand. Though, she can do that without so much as crinkling her nose. What impresses me the most is how completely unafraid she is to say exactly what she thinks, and express exactly how she feels. This kid is fearless when it comes to saying "no." And she can feel her feelings for all to see, and act completely unashamed by them once it's over. It's amazing I tell you!

You see, I've always been a "pleaser" by nature. I don't like to hurt feelings or step on toes. Standing up for myself to one person feels like giving a presentation in front of hundreds. Naked. So when a 2 year old is telling me exactly why she won't do something with tears streaming down her eyes - it feels reckless. It downright knocks the wind out of me on some days. The "good girl" in me thinks, "how dare you say 'no' to me. Who do you think you are? You're a toddler!"

But the soul within me who's learning to become more honest, to set more boundaries, and become more vulnerable, can't help but think of the Maya Angelou poem, when she is completely herself with all the confidence in the world:

"Now you understand,
why my head is not bowed...
When you see me passing,
it ought to make you proud."

You sure do, sweetie.