I'm looking at the face of true life experience, and this face looks youthful; smooth, wrinkle free, very sweet and loving. But, I know to not let these looks deceive, for this is the face of someone who has looked cancer in the eye. This face is not quite six years old.
Up until this weekend I hadn't personally seen this very precious face since she was diagnosed with melanoma, which was just about a year ago. At the time this little girl's parents and friends were devastated by the news. We were all stunned by this news, we wondered how something like this could happen to someone so young, melanoma was something that old people guarded against with long sleeves in the summer and big floppy hats. But it was true, the seemingly uninteresting little 'wart' on this young lady's foot was indeed cancerous. She now sports a few large angry red scars that are still healing from where the doctor had to cut this cancer from her body but I am very happy to report that my little buddy is now cancer free, she is very much alive and with us still. We are blessed indeed.
So, this weekend she and her mom, as well as her two sisters, came to spend some time with my family and I. It was great fun to have them all here with us again. The love and laughter of this family is infectious. We had a great weekend enjoying each others company, like usual. But during the weekend I took time to watch and observe this seemingly carefree child, I was looking for 'signs'. Signs that she was somehow changed. Signs that the innocence of childhood was over. After all, fighting cancer was a huge battle to wage, no matter that it was just a child who was doing the fighting.
What did I see as I watched her? I saw a child who smiled and laughed, got into a bit of naughty trouble, and who grew tired and cranky, just like her sisters did. She enjoyed having her 'makeover' at Sephora, just like her sisters. She enjoyed the sand and the water at the beach, just like we all did. Very normal reactions to everyday life. But, I also saw a child who would have to stop and just 'be'. She would grow solemn and quiet for a few minutes, watching and observing. Her long lashed bluegreen eyes were just taking everything in, she was contemplating her surroundings. Once I had to take her into my arms and hold her close, she needed a few minutes of quiet so she could get back up to speed with everyone else. As I held her I wondered, "Why such musings from a little girl?" Then I realized that she has truly had a 'life experience' far above almost every little kid her age and she surely must approach life from an entirely different angle than you or I do. Life had been coming at her and she had been unable to control what was going on in her very own body a year ago, but now she was going to take full advantage of being able to slow it down so she could process things at her own speed.
I'm not sure that if I had asked her about her year that she would be able to articulate stuff like most 'survivors' do; being grateful for the love of family, the support of friends, or even just being able to be outside breathing in fresh air. Very basic blessings. But, I got the feeling that little Mia knew all about those gifts that life gives us on a daily basis without having to articulate them. I also have the feeling that she is going to go forward with her life just 'knowing' subconsciously that what she does each and every day is something that is truly special. I think the day will come when she realizes that she is much tougher than she ever gave herself credit for, that she can face most any situation and come out winning. I hope that she will take these lessons that she has been taught by life and make them work for her in the most positive of ways. That is what gaining true life experiences is really all about. And it doesn't really matter what your age is when you get them. It's just that some folks learn them at an earlier age than others.
