Whenever we play The Game of Life, Sissy always takes the college path so she can become a Veterinarian. Then she purchases the mobile home as her “Starter Home,” eventually upgrading to the Double Wide when the time is right. She collects kids which she stacks up in the back of her car like so much firewood because there are too many of them to sit upright in the seats. Other than that, she travels the board, learning sign language and voting. It never matters to her that she doesn’t make it to Millionaire Estates. She’s perfectly happy to spend the rest of her days (after trading in her car for a big shoe) there in Countryside Acres. Do you remember the earlier version of Life where you had to go to the POOR FARM if you didn’t have enough moola to make it to Millionaire Estates? Rude, totally rude, and who WOULDN’T burst into tears when that happened. Anyway, it’s not always about you and your fear of the Poor Farm. Back to Sissy…
It occurred to me that the way Sissy PLAYS Life is the way she LIVES life: just going nuthin’-to-ninety for what she wants, whether it’s sanctioned by the Thought Police or not. But really, Sweetie? Double Wide instead of the Executive Cape Cod??
That’s what we love about her. She’s her own person. Doing her own thing. She always was her own person. Blossoming into another own person. Person within a person. Endless people, capable of being and doing an endless variation of wonderful things. Kindof like when it was the 80’s and you would look into the mirror backwards while holding another mirror so you could check on your amazing French braid? And you would see your amazing braid but also your face looking at your braid, looking at your face, looking at your braid and so on into infinity. Is it just me with the French braid analogy here, or do you get where I’m going with this??
Really, she is the most beautiful thing in the world to us. And yes, she does do a French braid sometimes with her thick and glossy, long hair. But it’s not the hair that makes her so beautiful. And it’s not the freckles, although they are the fashion accessory of the year. Did you know about the freckles thing?? They’re actually selling KITS so you can give yourself make-up freckles to bring yourself into alignment with the Season of Freckles. That’s demented especially when you consider that you can get freckles for FREE if someone with freckles (me) rubs noses in a cute, cuddly way with someone without freckles (Sissy). You’re welcome, Sissy. And yes, everyone knows this is how freckles are transferred so I’m not sure why people are buying kits.
For the hair, for the freckles, for everything she is, outside…and in…she is so beautiful. She holds the key to our hearts. And to celebrate her, we’ve given her a giftie each day for the last twelve days. And today, on the thirteenth day, on the occasion of her 13th birthday, we gave her a necklace with a tiny key on it to represent all she is to us. Clever, yes? It goes along with the freckles. Everyone knows there’s a correlation between cleverness and freckles.
So Happy 13th Birthday, My Beautiful Teen-ager. And no, I’m not crying. I know you hate it when I cry. I just ate something spicy and my nose is running a li’l bit, that’s all. Your father and I are so proud of you, and all you are. You (well, and that boy named Sonny who’s always hanging around our house) are the most wonderful gifts we will ever receive in our lives. And we are so blessed and privileged to sit beside you and watch how your Game of Life unfolds.