Yesterday I attended the bridal shower for a young lady whose whole family I love. It was a sweet day, as I sat with people I’d never met at a table with several little girls, one of whom was quite chatty, and sat across the table from me.
That bubbly little girl told me all about her best friend, Arthur. She told she wanted to be a Mommy when she grows up, and that she knew she needed to marry someone, but she wasn’t sure who she wanted to marry. “I’ll have to wait and see,” she said. So I asked her, “Just what kind of boy do you want to marry?”
Ready for her answer?
“The kind that will stay at home and watch the crabby babies so that I can go to parties like this with my friends.” She then told me that she left her little baby doll at home with HER daddy, because he was AWESOME and had he not stayed home to watch her baby doll, she would have been too crabby for her to have a good time. She wants to marry someone like her Daddy.
“How old are you?” I asked. “I’m 4 and a HALF! That is ALMOST 5!”
“I’m 54 and a half! That is ALMOST 55!” I responded.
“Wowwwww!!!!” She said. And then, proceeded to yell down to the other end of the table, “Mom! She’s really old!”
I had a blast. I remember going to showers when I was a little girl. I remember hoping I’d get the piece of cake with the flower on it. I loved playing the games, hoping to leave with a prize that was pretty. Counting the ribbons the bride-to-be tore and laughing with those who were keeping track to tease her that she would have that same amount of babies! And saving all of the ribbons and poking them through holes in a paper plate that the bride-to-be would wear as a hat when the gifts had all been opened. We women just really know how to have a good time, don’t we?!!! 😉
I stopped on my way home at Toys-R-Us. I’m getting a visit this afternoon from my little ALMOST 1-1/2 year-old granddaughter – my “Sweet Pea.” I just had to buy her another doll. I thought about her all afternoon.
I am certain she will have a best friend she can play dolls with. But I hope when she is 25 and 35 and 45 and even 54-and-a-half, she has friends who love her and never walk away from her. I hope she is always surrounded by friends and family who teach her without ever having to say a word to love others, never to look down her nose at them, never to judge their mistakes but to love them and walk alongside them through every recovery and broken heart mending process. And I hope she uses her very own heartaches, mistakes, and failures not to save up and play as a deck of cards full of excuses, but as opportunities to comfort others walking through the very same things. And! I hope she gets that good husband, one just like her own Daddy, who will watch her babies so she can go to parties with her girlfriends, count ribbons, eat cake, pop bubble wrap, and giggle!
Today, Sweet Pea, this is my prayer for you.
“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul!” Proverbs 27:9
Rita, this was so very sweet. At this time of my life I realize how very important girlfriends are.
Love you dear friend