The Love Note

My sweet little daughter is 6 years old.  Compassion oozes from her every pore.  She loves to laugh, sing, and tell stories wide eyed.  Her imagination seems limitless.  She has the ability to get lost deep in play or zone into a movie as though it is the only thing that matters.  A back rub will quickly win her heart and she's Mommy's number one fan when it comes to whatever concoction is being cooked up in the kitchen.  She is genuine.  She is honest.  She is pure.  She is innocent.

And today, she came home with her fist declaration of love from a boy at school. 

("Ava, look at the back")

(" To Ava, I love you Ava.  -Ryan")

My initial reaction upon reading her first love note aloud to her and seeing her giggle and grin with delight was thinking how absolutely adorable this moment was.  The innocents, the swell in my heart for her as to what will one day come.  The far off future.  As much as I wanted to respond in that moment with playful banter about her "boyfriend" something inside prompted me to stifle that response.  She is only 6 and "boyfriend" has yet to be added to her vocabulary.  It appears as though time is on my side before my sweet child begins to step out of childhood into adolescence. Why rush it?  In reality, the picture I paint now in these seemingly innocent years will potentially create a piece of the portrait that will portray her 16 year old self.  "Tread lightly" my Spirit whispers.

So for now I will simply smile along with her, sharing in her joy that she feels loved and accepted by a friend. Rejoicing in her innocents and naivety. Biting my tongue.  Holding back my immaturity that still has the ability to make it's presence know.  She has been entrusted to me.  I have the unique privilege of being her Mommy.  I don't aim for perfection because believe me, I have already failed, but I do strive for wisdom.

"Careful words make for a careful life; careless talk may ruin everything."  Proverbs 13:3 MSG