15
WAYS MY DAUGHTER
lives in color a moment of inspiration By: Laura Spiegel – Paint Her in Color
My 7-year-old, who lives with cystic fibrosis, surprises me every day with her unabashed zest for life. From the moment she opens her eyes, to the moment she bids adieu to Venus, she doesn’t just march to her own beat. She soars. Here are 15 of the ways my daughter lives in color every day. 1. She wants to be a worm doctor when she grows up. You know, the people who rescue crusty worms from the sidewalk after the rain? It’s apparently a thing. 2. She has named both her feet. Winston and Abby carry her everywhere, and they are feisty when their names are mixed up. 3. She talks to the flowers and dresses like a witch. A witch in a swimsuit who jumps through the sprinkler with her hat perched atop her head, to be more specific. 4. She invites the neighborhood pests to “ant parties” on our front sidewalk. The invitations are simple. Hamburger buns soaked in water and smashed onto the pavement. Never tried it? Give it ten minutes, and the critters will come. 5. “Close the door! You’re letting in flies!” I complain. “I like flies,” she deadpans as she marches down the sidewalk, gray wig in hand. 6. “This is my favorite book,” she declares. “I’ve never read it, but I like how [the author] decorates the cover and uses proper words and puts page numbers everywhere.”
32 Special Needs Living • December 2020
