Heather & Abbie backstage at Willy Wonka, Jr.

The question was, how have you been influenced/changed by a child.

My answer is this:

One of the first days of Middle School I received a call from the Assistant Principal relaying to me this story:

My daughter, tiny for her age, but mighty in personality was busy meeting up with friends from the prior school year and being introduced to an abundance of new friends when she spotted a frail looking girl, standing by herself, close to tears. My daughter, leaving her friends behind, walked over to the girl and asked her name. “Heather,” she replied. Heather is a special needs student with a long list of health and mental issues who, because of the fact that she was not maturing at the same rate as her classmates, had been left behind by those who may have called her their friend, at one time. My daughter leaned in to whisper to Heather, “Heather, I’m Abbie, and I think we’re going to be great friends.” Soon thereafter, Abbie’s friends came to surround Heather and Abbie and Heather was cared for and protected and loved for her entire Middle School stay.

This year they started their time in High School and one of the first things Abbie did when she came home from her first day of school was report on how Heather was doing, and how great it was to see her again.

I say this often and people sometimes chuckle because they don’t think I’m as serious as I am: “When I grow up, I want to be just like my daughter.”

The gang

On a final note: Shortly after Abbie attended Heather’s birthday party her mother asked me if Abbie still watched Barney videos.  I was a little surprised at the question because it had been YEARS since our house held the Barney Show theme song as it’s number one hit.  “No,” I said, “she hasn’t watched that in years. Why do you ask?”  Heather’s mother smiled and said, “Heather does still watch Barney & when Abbie showed up early for the party, she’d brought a Barney video for she and Heather to watch together, that’s why.”

So I say it again, “When I grow up, I want to be just like my daughter…”