Slow Down, My Darling Child

Oh, my darling girl.

She got off the bus today

in the middle of a rainstorm.

The wind was blowing,

the rain was falling,

and I met her at the bus door

with an umbrella just for her.

Clear, with little cloud accents.

As we walked toward the house,

the wind blew the rain our way,

and my darling girl just giggled

like the storm had made her day.

“I’m like Mary Poppins!”

she laughed through the rain.

And I wanted to bottle that sound

so I could hear it again and again.

My heart oozed love

for this child of mine.

May these little laughs

and big smiles

live in my memory for all of time.

Slow down, my child.

Please don’t rush through.

Let me savor these moments.

Let me savor you.

We get back to the house

and she puts on her sweats

because she’s cold.

Then she climbs into my lap

and tells me about her day,

with all her little stories to unfold.

Two indoor recesses.

One outside too.

Learning American Sign Language

and all the things she got to do.

And somewhere in the conversation,

I swear I feel her grow a little taller.

Please let me hold you

just a little longer.

Slow down, my darling child.

Stay little for a while.

Let me memorize your laughter.

Let me memorize your smile.

Because one day these rainy afternoons

will feel so far away.

And I know I’ll give anything

to come back to this day.