A Thanksgiving Story

I've written about her before.

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She is five years old.

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She has thrived in kindergarten, secure with her foster Mother who has come to love her, who provides a stable and predictable home. She has a public school teacher who whispered to me that she is her favorite student.

But things will not stay as they are. For one thing her foster Mother is ill. And for another, her father wants her. She is secure and stable and she does not understand that plans are being made for her to live with her Pappy and leave the woman she now calls 'Mommy'.

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I saw her on Tuesday and in one week the change in her was dramatic. She was tired, drawn, nervous.

"My pappy took me to this house and these people kept asking me why I didn't want to live with my Pappy. I told them I don't want to leave Mommy. I was afraid they would make me stay there. I was scared."

There is more to this tale and I and others will evaluate and intervene over time, keeping what is best for her in front of everyone.

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Every week we hold hands until we reach the kindergarten door and every week she waves goodbye and heads toward her teacher but then she runs back to me and I know to lean down and she kisses me on the cheek.

This time, on Tuesday, she ran back to me and I leaned down and she kissed me as always but this time she came back a second time.

She looked at me and she said "I'm thankful for you."

She is five years old.

For the last two years I have had my own challenges to keep my footing: adult issues of shock and betrayal and acceptance, but my challenges are nothing like hers. This little girl is baptising me with one lovely sentence.

"I'm thankful for you."

Can you say it? I can say it to so many special people who bless this blog, who have offered me their friendship.

I'm thankful for you.

Can you say it?

On this day of American Thanks-giving, can you say it to some one who will know in their bones what that means just as I knew standing in front of that kindergarten door on Tuesday.

I don't think you should wait. I think you should say it.

Love

kj