June 16, 2010 @ 9:26 am | Filed under: Uniquely Me

“I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance,
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin’ might mean takin’ chances, but they’re worth takin’,
Lovin’ might be a mistake but it’s worth makin’”  ~ Lee Ann Womack

When you love someone you want to wrap them up, protect them, keep them safe from all the junk life has a way of throwing at them.

Deep, fierce love is like that.

That’s the kind of love I have for this girl.

She’s the child who – overnight – turned me into an aunt, a role accompanied by a whole new capacity to love and care than what I’d ever anticpated possible from me.

Madie is growing up.

No longer the “little” girl, she is now a lanky little willow of a ten-year-old who is giving us glimpses into the remarkable young lady she will one day be.

But growing up has its share of hurdles, challenges, and – let’s face it – hurts.

It’s the way we face those roadblocks that determines our future path. Sometimes people run headfirst, unsuspecting, into one of these challenges and then spend months, if not years, in hiding.

Because to love -  to care, to give of yourself – almost always means that at some point you will hurt.

And then sometimes, when we see someone we love with this kind of  fierceness face this kind of hurt, we want nothing more than to cocoon them from future harm. We want to wisk them away to a place of safety, a place where we can watch them, feel them, know they are okay.

But who can dance when stifled?

And isn’t life really all about dancing your way through it? Through the laughter, the fun, the glorious. And then finding ways to dance away from fears, bad dreams, and burst bubbles.

Heroes come in many shapes, sizes, and ages.

This past week we had a glimpse of a little ten-year-old heroine.

She was a friend in a scary situation. She exhibited love, care, and forgiveness.

She’s a dancer.

I pray she always finds the dance.