Universe must have heard my wish to see some blue sky today. We’ve had a typical Seattle winter spreading its gray cloak over our heads for many days, and I didn’t realize how badly I needed to feel some vibrant sunlight until it peeked out from behind the drowning clouds as if to refresh my memory of the vast, open, blue sky behind all those shades of gray. Ah, what a relief!

Charles and I were determined to take advantage of the sunny weather and the girls’ mid-winter break by going to the Bellevue Botanical Garden for a family walk. Although we love this garden, it’s a bit of a drive to get there, so we don’t visit it as often as I’d like to. Last time we were there was in December 2010 to see the holiday light show at night. It was magical! In addition, this garden is a special place for our family because S and J have been to this garden multiple times with their best friend, and Charles and I have fond memories of walking and chatting with her parents while the three girls were talking, discovering, and growing their friendship, all at the same time in the beautiful surrounding.

Also, it’s been a while since Charles and I had a “date” with S and J. We have found it useful and fun to have one-on-one mother/daughter and father/daughter dates as often as we can. Each child gets the full attention of one of us at a time, and Charles and I (separately) have a chance to listen to, and focus on, one child for the duration of the date, which we find very satisfying and enjoyable. When we got to the Botanical Garden today, S wanted to walk with Charles and J claimed me. Each child chose her own course to pursue, so we naturally split our party and went two-by-two to discover the winter garden. Ah, yes, each party also carried “divine food” (chocolate) for provisional consumption.

J carried her sketchbook and pen with her, and multi-tasked with ease: she talked, drew, and walked (and later consumed chocolate) all at the same time without missing a beat. She was proud to share her knowledge of botany as she explained photosynthesis to me and even sounded professorial when she mentioned: photo means “light” and synthesis means “putting together.” She pointed out the symbiotic relationship between a tree and the ferns growing on it. She identified a sword fern and told me that she learned about it when she went away to IslandWood on Bainbridge Island last year for a school trip. She was fully enjoying her golden opportunity to talk with me (without her sister interrupting her) while I listened to her with my full attention. J was visibly happy to “occupy Mom!”

We sat on a sunny bench to rest our legs and broke chocolate together, making our stop sweeter. It was divine to feel the warm sunbeams on my back while savoring sweet morsels mindfully with my beloved J right next to me! I couldn’t help thinking, “This must be what paradise feels like!” We saw a little squirrel chomping at something that I couldn’t quite identify. I looked up at the sky and wondered out loud how it could be as blue as it was! I marveled at the witch hazel blossoms, and the pink blossom of some other flower that I couldn’t identify as well as the rhododendron buds about to pop open any time. I felt as if I were the child, filled with wonder at seeing new life everywhere even before it is officially spring.

I kept pointing out to J the little leaves in various shapes, sizes and shades of green, sprouting on some tree branches. I was so excited to see them come out so magically and miraculously even though I felt J telling me silently, “It’s all science, Mom!” My heart finally burst with delight and I said, “Isn’t this amazing? All these trees looked so dead in the winter, yet they were all working underground silently to sprout these new, green, baby leaves! Look at these, J!” To which J calmly responded with what sounded like the voice of a crone, not a young girl: “Mom, winter is not just about death. It clears the old and the weak, and makes room for the new.” My J’s words warmed my heart more brightly than the spring sunlight shining on the new shoots and sprouts.

I thought of J’s best friend and wished she were here with us today. I didn’t have a friend with J’s qualities when I was her age. I wish I had. I know if I had met a girl like J when I was her age, I would’ve been so happy to have found a kindred spirit. When J first met the girl who was to become her best friend, she somehow knew then that she was a kindred spirit even though they were only Pre-Kindergarteners at the time. I am amazed at how children’s intuition and instinct can be so spot on!

May J find true friends and enjoy enduring friendships throughout her life wherever she goes.

May I be granted the crone’s blessings to protect my daughter’s child spirit and guide her to mature into a strong, wise, and joyful woman!