Down the Rabbit Hole

Pure Sweetness

There are some moments in life that are simple and sweet and you realize that these moments are what keep us all beautiful and brimming with hope despite the tug and pull of what can be a hard life in a harder world. My daughter woke up around 4am, crying for milk, crying for me. I stumbled downstairs, heated a cup of milk and brought it back to her in my bed. She immediately drained it, then snuggled back down under the covers. She reached her tiny arms around my neck and pulled herself in close until we were lying face to face, her perfect nose resting against the tip of mine. I watched her falling back to sleep, long, soot-dark lashes above the sea green eyes that struggled to stay open. I wrapped my arms around her, cradling her warmth. She still seemed so small and delicate some times - even though she is growing ever closer to a three year old force of nature. I fell asleep with her sweet breath on my face and her body settled into the curve of my own almost as perfectly as she once fit inside it. I woke up hours later, feeling as if I must have slept for days. I was both alarmed and surprised to see I was already thirty minutes late. There is no greater sleep aid than cuddling with your little girl on a flawless fall morning. I dashed off an apologetic text to my co-workers and reluctantly leapt out of bed. I can't imagine a better reason to be late for work...a small price for such a moment of pure sweetness.