Down the Rabbit Hole

My favorite Scar

This morning while I was getting dressed, my daughter asked me about the red scar on my belly. I told her it was my favorite scar because it was made when she was born, that it was how the doctor's had brought her into the world. Jaden looked at me for a minute with wide eyes. Then, she leaned against me and murmured "you are my best friend Mom", as if she magically understood the entire terrifying and wonderful experience of childbirth and sincerely appreciated my sacrifice and commitment to motherhood.

There are moments with my daughter when I wonder if she is in possession of one of those rare old souls, as if she understands and perceives much more than she should despite her years. Oddly, sometimes I see so much comprehension in her sea-change eyes, that it is almost unnerving. Jaden is remarkable for many reasons but it’s her often uncanny powers of perception that frequently leave me in awe. She is a quiet and reserved child, an active listener who can express herself as effectively with words as she can with non-verbal cues. When we find her in a talkative mood, she is animated and tends to chat with the comfort and ease of any adult. It never ceases to make her Dad shake his head and smile.