The Colors Of The Wind

Humanity is a wonderful thing. The senses and experiences which God has given us are so often taken for granted. Our fast paced lives do not leave much time for the little things which really matter. We work so hard chasing the dollar to provide for our families and try to make those memories, that many things, both good and bad, just pass on by without our recognition.

Yesterday I got to experience one of the wonderfully sad things about parenting - when you finally realize that your child has advanced to the next stage in life and is growing up. My daughter is no longer a baby or toddler. She is a young lady. It's exciting to see your child advance and wonder about the opportunities and possibilities which will soon present themselves. On the other hand it's sad to see them no longer as babies you once held in your arms and paced back and forth in the dark to soothe back to sleep.

My oldest daughter has been taking ballet classes since March and last night was her big recital which marked the end of her class. Due to my working hours, I haven't been able to attend her classes although I make it a point to always ask her what she has learned and cheer her on as she shows me new moves she learned at class. I was not going to miss the recital and took off from work a few minutes early to race back to town to see her.

Last night, life smacked me right in the face and I realized that she is now truly out of the toddler stage. She is bright, loving, friendly, courteous, kind, and everything a father could ask for in a daughter. She also has a few very special qualities of my late brother - to make everyone laugh, to make the unpopular people feel special, and especially her beautiful sense of color. Joseph used to design websites with colors beyond the rainbow. My daughter has shown me that she too paints with all of the colors of the wind. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have and that you take the time to see your own children and the beautiful patchwork quilts they are making with their own little lives.