Spring Sunshine

"You are my sunshine, one of my sunshines,
You make me happy when skies are gray.
I never tell you how much I love you,
Please don't take my sunshine away."

This was my twisted version of the sunshine song.  I sang it to my daughter every single night from the day I learnt she was on the way to when she was about three years old.  The lullabies changed over the years but not the hugs and smiles and the warmth in my heart.   A little too soon, the years crept up on me and today we celebrated her sixth birthday (albeit a few days late for convenience).  Half a dozen years later my munchkin is quite a lady now.  I see her shunning princess toys and taking to the jumprope and scooter more.  I see her preference for a swimming pool vs. the bathtub filled with water.  I also see her cry softly with her hands on her face and I know why they call these 'growing pains'.  So much change in so little time...And she is already asking about her first driving lesson!  While there is pride and joy in my heart there is a touch of sadness: if only I could have held her in my arms longer, hugged her more often and worried a little less in the years gone by.  To all my friends with young children:  don't let the small hassles get you down; enjoy the child before they fly their nest.  To my friends with not-so-little kids:  don't fret, they will always be your baby and you did raise them well. 

Live in the moment and dwell not on the past,
Look to the future but obsess not you must...
For que sera sera, whatever will be will be...
Enjoy the moments now for fleetingly gone they will be.

A few weeks before her birthday she came to me with a painting she had made.  It had a blue sky, yellow sun, few clouds, butterflies and a meadow with flowers below and asked if I could bake her a cake that captured her wish for a sunny day in spring.  I have tried in my humble capacity to mimic her bright imagination and capture the colors of joy that she brings to our hearts.  May she thrive and prosper and light up the whole galaxy in the years to come.