The Date

She woke up and piddled around until she remembered the significance of today-it was her turn.

She quickly moved to her room and pulled down a favorite dress. Swiftly she fit her head through the opening and watched as the fabric dropped to her shins. A sense of pride filled her spirit as she slipped on the new shoes that made her feel beautiful, and she emerged from her room with excitement.

Flower barrettes adorned her silky strawberry-blonde hair, a necklace the top of her chest. She awaited anxiously for her date.

He knocked on the door, and she ran to answer, a giggle in her voice. Her smile spread wider as she held out her hands to take hold of her first flower, a flower whose brightness matched those of her eyes.

And I watched with joy as she set out for her date with Papa, knowing that this date would be the first of many in her lifetime, one of the few that I could so easily let her go.

Originally published at https://jennifervdavis.com on August 3, 2010.