God's Smile by Susan L.

I made a new friend at the pool the other day. She is all of seven years old and while her older siblings were playing a rambunctious game of water tag, she approached me with an open heart. We did the typical adult/child introductions. I asked. She answered. How old are you? What grade are you in? Where do you live? Who are your parents? After I pointed out my own mom and stepdad sitting in the poolside loungers she looked at me full of surprise, "You're a daughter?!" Then she had to figure out how old I was after telling her I was also a mom and grandmother. My heart lurched when she said a hundred and a half! Thankfully, she changed her mind and decided I was as old as all of my teeth. Twenty-three. Much more acceptable. Later I realized that seven is when you begin to get adult teeth. Childhood logic. Gotta love it. We had a few 'races' from one side of the pool to another. She chattered incessantly when we paused to catch our breath. This little girl brought back memories of my own kids at that age and made me look forward even more to when my grandchildren can come swimming with me. Her avowal to her sister that I was her "new best friend" made me think about how much is lost as we age. If only we could lay aside distrust and caution for just a little while and recapture that childhood warmth. "A merry heart does good like medicine." Prov 17:22