My daughter approached my bedroom a bit traumatized! You see, her eye was hurting and she just did not understand why. I so corroborated with her frustration! I know how it feels to need answers to the question “Why?” After making it perfectly clear that she did not bump her eye against an object, she blinked profusely in what appeared to be an attempt to stop what she described as “bleeping”. Throbbing was probably the actual effect.
I certainly did not want to dismiss her concern. While I don’t always hit the mark, I strive to render my undivided attention to my children when they seek me. Neglecting their 911 alarms typically adds to both their ache and their aggravation. Most empathetically, I suggested that we take a walk “back down memory lane”, tracing her steps along the way. If you’ve ever experienced a five year old little girl in indescribable pain, you know that I was praying to crack this unsolved mystery…and fast!
Seriously blinking her “bleeping” eye, she presented the following evidence:
1. She rolled over in bed.
2. She patted the bed to feel for her doll.
3. She felt the doll.
4. She opened her eyes to make sure it was the doll she wanted to play with.
5. She rubbed her eyes with her finger.
6. She felt something in her eye.
7. Her eye began to “bleep”.
Felling like a real sleuth and playing right into the role, I paused, rubbed my chin and said, “Mom…I got it! It seems to me that maybe your eye is ‘bleeping’ because you rubbed it with your finger and something from your finger is now inside your eye!” My daughter was obviously taken aback. I thought her expression was along the lines of, “Phew! Thank you, Momma, for your help!” Boy did I read her wrong! Instead, she maturely stated, “Momma, it’s not my finger’s fault! It’s mine. You tell me to not put my fingers in my eyes. I shouldn’t have done that.”
All of my sussing rolled out the room, down the stair, around the corner, and out the door! “Detective Daughter” finally figured it out but her answer now left me with questions:
1. Why do we blame others for our throbbing mistakes?
2. Why don’t we take ownership of our problems?
3. Why, exactly, do we not take the time to walk “back down memory lane” in an attempt to solve the mysteries?
Scenario after scenario began to roll in my motion picture mind as I took my daughter to the bathroom to clean her eye. Realizing I had to take a bit of ownership of a few unsolved mysteries, I was “bleeping” all over! Since I can’t just talk the talk, I began to walk…back down memory lane. Do you need to stroll with me?
Kimberly K. Parker is the owner of Writing Momma Publishing (www.writingmomma.com). She is hosting “Isn’t She Lovely!” an elegant father and daughter event in March 2011 in hopes of promoting the importance of the relationship between little girls and their fathers.
Visit www.isntshelovely.eventbrite.com to purchase tickets and for more information. Kimberly is an author and blogger living in Maryland with her husband and three children.
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