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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What Do You See?

A couple weekends ago Kayla went to a Princess Party at one of the local community centers.

As soon as we were in the door a girl ran up to Kayla calling her name and saying hi. Soon after another girl did the same thing. I asked the first girl if she was in Kayla's class and she said, "No I'm in first grade." I asked the 2nd girl if she was also in first grade. She wasn't; she was in Kindergarten, but had a different teacher than Kayla's teacher. They wanted Kayla to go around with them, but the Kindergartener kept taking Kayla's hand and trying to lead her - my independent girl didn't want that at all.

I enjoyed sitting back and watching Kayla. Watching her be just one of the girls.

There will always be kids who are mean and cruel, but not all kids are mean and cruel.

Kids will notice differences about other kids, but some kids will look past those differences.

For this day Kayla was surrounded by girls who didn't see the differences. Girls who were nice and kind and friendly.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These pictures are not the best quality at all. Not the best in focus or composition. But they speak volumes to me.

There was a group of girls standing in a circle and putting their wands in the middle, then raising them up high saying "princesses forever!"

And my little princess was right there in the middle of it all. As I watched them my mother's heart swelled and I'm sure I had some tears in the corner of my eyes.









What do I see in these photos? Beautiful princesses; all of them. Children being children. Girls having a girls' night. Differences not mattering - not the differences in ages, color of the skin, or number of chromosomes. I see inclusion...no suffering, no ostracizing, no burdens, no hardships, no challenges...just pure fun by a group of girls. I know some adults who could take some lessons from these girls.

What do you see?

Get It Down; 31 for 21

29 comments:

AZ Mommy said...

She is a princess!!
My grandmother taught was called Special Ed (is it still called that?) She taught me that no matter what all kids are special regardless of how they look or act. It's because of her that I love Down Syndrome kids/people.
As Carter gets older he will be taught the same thing. Just because a person doesn't look like everyone else doesn't mean they deserve to be treated any different. Every one should be treated as you would like to be treated yourself.

Mom24 said...

I wish you would only ever have to see that. Beautiful.

Just as importantly, I hope that's all Kayla ever sees.

Melanie D. said...

Michelle - you made me cry! You are so right. About all of it.

Tina said...

Ahhhhh, now THAT makes me happy :) I know MANY adults who could learn a thing or two from those little ladies :)

I felt the same way you did when my middle son posed for a picture with his buddies. My son is UBER shy and was always worried about not having any friends. I had to wipe tears away when I took the picture.

She's so stinkin' cute. That whole fairy princess, pink thing is SO foreign to me...lol

ds.mama said...

I am so glad that all the princesses were kind and had a wonderful time! They certainly are all beautiful:-)

Unknown said...

I see just what you see. I wish the children could 'rub off' on adults. It's been my experience, that the adults are the leery ones. Kids are kids. Yes, you are right, they can be down right mean, but that's kids. You almost expect something like that from a kid. I guess we hold, as we should, adults to a higher expectation.
Looks like Kayla had a blast at the princess party. She is the most beautiful princess I've seen in a long time!!

Maureen said...

I know you said you were sure there were tears in your eyes, but you sure brought tears to my eyes.

I see that one day Penny will be the focus of affection at a princess party.

Beth said...

Love it!! Great pictures and a great post. I see little girls having a good time with each other!

Anonymous said...

I have seen another set of Princess birthday pictures, very similiar to the party Kayla attended. The only difference was the Princesses!

Your post made me cry when I read what the girls were doing with their wands: "There was a group of girls standing in a circle and putting their wands in the middle, then raising them up high saying "princesses forever!"

I felt your feelings...And isn't this what we work so hard for? Just to live our own lives?♥

Christina said...

That was beautiful! I agree - I know plenty of adults who need that lesson!

Nancy M. said...

I see pretty princesses all having fun!

Monica Crumley said...

How beautiful. I'll bet that was a great mom-moment for you. Kayla's a beautiful princess and those girls are awesome to just notice another princess in their midst.

my family said...

you are right I do wish many adults could see this too, they could learn from our little ones. Beautiful!!

Chris said...

All I see is a bunch of princesses, a bunch of beautiful princess. I must admit one in particular seems to shine a little bit more than the others though :)

Michelle said...

Your beautiful princess! I love the pics, so sweet!

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing this. It made my day. I wish we could all be like more children in so many ways.

Chelsie said...

I see how beautiful friendship can be when we teach our children to see past outward differences and look to the inside. I am so glad that Kayla has been able to show that we can all learn from kids, who open their hearts freely, when often as adults we don't.

Robin said...

I see beauty - both inside and out!

Bonita said...

I see some of the most beautiful princesses ever. Remember this moment when the tough ones come.

Single PAP said...

joy.

Tina said...

That is such a wonderful post, makes you feel that the world is not all bad, I know children can be mean at times but at the same time they are also the ones who don't care about differences, its the kind of adult influence around them, what they hear and what is taught to them that changes their attitudes. It made me feel so happy and warm in my heart to see Kayla amoungst her friends, being one of them, just being herself, doing what all little girls do. I hope one day I see Saira doing the same. I love Kayla's princess costume, she truely looks like one!!!

chelle said...

aww what sweet princesses! What a wonderful way to celebrate a birthday!

datri said...

Love it! That is just so beautiful!

Carole Burant said...

Oh yes, some adults could certainly learn from these girls! All of them beautiful princesses and just having a fun time with each other. I know how mean some kids can be...I was cross eyed until I was 8 years old and I remember well the teasing I got and coming home from school crying. Where do children learn to be so mean? From their parents...those who won't accept someone being a little "different". My parents taught us kids to love all, no matter the colour, religion, etc., and I taught my own boys the same thing. There's enough hatred in this world without being ostracized because of a cross eye, having Down Syndrome, being in a wheelchair, etc. Kayla is a little girl who loves life and has the same hopes and dreams of other little girls:-) xoxo

Anonymous said...

I love the pictures, and I think they completely capture the moment!

Laura said...

AMEN!!! I too see a bunch of precious silly girls having a wonderful time...each one looking like a Princess. Yet, without a difference...just sweet girls all fashioned by God!

Calico Sky said...

LOL I can barely see a thing through the tears in my eyes!!

I pray that throughout Kayla's life she has friends around her that see the beauty in someones soul and the person they are as the most important reason to be friends with someone.

Jasmine and Gabriella said...

I see your work in Kayla. She's absolutely beautiful. All girls are princesses.

xox

Karly said...

I may have had a tear (or two) while reading this post. Lovely princesses, especially Kayla.