Thursday June 26th, 2008
She’s broke.
She has no money at all. Given, she’s only two-years-old, but in reality, a child owns nothing of her own.
All of her possessions are at the mercy of her parents: what she recieves, what is taken away for disciplinary measures, the amount of toys or clothes she keeps in her room. There is nothing she owns that hasn’t gone through the filter of her parents’ hands.
She doesn’t make a salary. She doesn’t accumulate social security. She’s even too young to earn an allowance. She’s plain broke.
Even if she had money, she has no means to buy anything. She’s two. She can’t drive a car to the store and purchase anything. She’s too short to see the cash register.
And even though her father and I have created a bank account in her name that will slowly gain financial ground as she grows, she still doesn’t own this either. I still hold all the rights to this money.
She’s my little girl and has everything a baby could want: a bookshelf overflowing with books, a closet full of clothes and boxes of toys. She has a big girl bed and soft blankets and animals to greet her when she lays down to rest. But she has no money.
I watch her and realize that she does use currency. It just isn’t in the form of U.S. dollars.
She grabs my leg and wants to be close when I am cooking. She rubs my arm when we read a book together. She kisses her sister goodnight even when her sister doesn’t want a kiss from a slobbery toddler. She cuddles with her daddy before he gets out of bed in the morning. She hugs my shoulders and sighs with love for me. She uses her currency of affection for each one of us because that is the only thing she posesses.
She holds it well, using it when needed and withdrawing her affection when life doesn’t seem to suit her. She screams, withholding her “money”, when things don’t go her way. She stops wailing, and pats-pats-pats my hand and laughs at a silly face I make.
And I’ve come to realize that her money, her affection, is most evident when her heart is closest to the surface. When she is waking up or falling asleep, when she’s in desperate need of a return kiss for a boo-boo on her ankle – this is when she is the most affectionate. Her little toddler “money” is given freely, without worry that it will run out.
She really isn’t broke. She’s rich, actually, because her heart will continue to expand to carry the love she is learning to show.
i love this post… if only we could be so simple.
That was beautifully written and oh so true.
Hugs, kisses and loves are the best currency in the world when they are coming from our children. This is a very precious post.
So precious.My 6 month old is starting to give out her “money”
I had to leave another post bacause the next word verification letters are “tinman”! Remember, he only wanted a heart! oooo, spooky, goes with your post!
If I only had a heart….sing it with me everybody.
Aw, sweet post. Sweet girl.
On a FUNNY note, however –
this also reminded me of my brother last weekend, reminding his willful 3 year old who did not want to share with his friend that “EVERYTHING IN YOUR ROOM BELONGS TO ME, AND I SHARE WITH YOU EVERY DAY.” Little reality check.
I got a chuckle out of that one!
Check out my blog today…I mentioned you…Hope you have a good weekend….
Natalie – too cute, and you are very funny!
Jennifer – I have said those exact words too, I think. maybe I’m a tyrant??? =)
What a sweet post, and so applicable to us and our heavenly Father. We too are bankrupt without him, and yet we are so rich! blessings
I truly love the way you write, when does the book come out?
She is very good at that! You and Chaddy have taught her well to give it out and not hold it back!! I love you all so much!!!
Beautifully written.
so beautifully written – i love the image of their affections being their currency…
Loved this post! Thank you for sharing such a profound thought. It will surely bring a smile to my face many times in the ensuing days with my 2-year old!