Letting Them Be Who They Are

I was just struck by a bolt of lightning.

While folding clothes, I was thinking about a conversation I had with Monkey’s Brownie Leader on the camp out this weekend.  Ann Marie has kindly passed on several dresses her daughters are through with to Monkey.  Monkey is a dress girl.  Truly, she wears a dress or a skort or a skirt every…single…day.  This last “dress-giving” from AM included a beautiful pink, silk gown.  Monkey has loved wearing it.  Lucca has loved wearing it.  Yessa has even tried it on a time or two.

I was telling AM how much the girls have enjoyed that dress, and she told me of its origins, and that it had been through a girl or two already.  I suspect it will never be passed out of our house to anyone else because it will have been loved to death well before Yessa has outgrown it.

And standing there, folding clothes, it hit me.  Beautiful clothing.  Lovely clothing that feels lovely and looks lovely brings Monkey great joy.  Truly, they fill her with joy and excitement and thankfulness.  It’s why she was compelled to put on the beautiful polka-dotted dress that Aunt Andrea and Uncle Zach gave her for her birthday as soon as she opened it.  And to wear it for the next three days.  It’s why the flower girl dress she wore as a two year-old in Aunt Saffy and Uncle Jim’s wedding was her favorite thing to wear until she could no longer breath after it was zipped.  It’s why pinks and swirls and swooshes call out to her.

I don’t understand it.  I have many loves, and clothing doesn’t come in the top 100.

Who cares…

What a joy that our child has found one of her joys so young in life.  If only all people were so blessed.