The little girl looked out across the ground, imagining the long stretch to be filled with sand and the tiny broken down room in the distance was her version of a two thousand year old pyramid. She was my princess; Princess Kiera.
As I watched her little imaginary game unfold, I remembered playing a similar game myself at that age. All of us had chosen appropriate "Egyptian" names and Kiera was mine.
This is why I'd named this little part of myself after my imaginary but very real Egyptian Princess.
I could see a lot of myself in this little girl, while parts of her I never remember having. She's unique in her own way and seeing her build her massive imaginary world made my maternal instinct rise.
I want to protect that little girl from the ugly side of the world. She is at that age where the lies have begun but she doesn't see the difference. How I wish I could stop her from experiencing hurt and pain that only peers can bring; stop others from making her feel small and vulnerable. If my holding her close and telling her how much she mattered and how special she was could help, I would do it every moment I can find. But, she has to have her own experiences, and needs to learn her own lessons.
I wish I could teach her early on not to judge, especially not to worry about being judged in turn. If only I could explain how important it is that she never change herself to fit in or to impress someone else because those who liked her for who she was wouldn't care.
More than anything, I don't want her to be lied to, and her to put her trust in those that want to just pull her down and belittle her. I want her to know that she is talented and has a long way to go, and she should never give up, no matter whatever was said otherwise.
But she's young, and she'll walk her path. I'm sure I was told the same things by my mother who wanted nothing more than to protect me, but I was too young to understand.
And I know I am what I am because of all of my experiences, good and bad, put together.
I know for certain that Kiera will do the same; because she is me, frozen in a memory full of sand, pyramids, kings and princesses with the only the 'bad men on the horses' to hurt me.
Kiera has come a long way, and I have a long way to go.
As I watched her little imaginary game unfold, I remembered playing a similar game myself at that age. All of us had chosen appropriate "Egyptian" names and Kiera was mine.
This is why I'd named this little part of myself after my imaginary but very real Egyptian Princess.
I could see a lot of myself in this little girl, while parts of her I never remember having. She's unique in her own way and seeing her build her massive imaginary world made my maternal instinct rise.
I want to protect that little girl from the ugly side of the world. She is at that age where the lies have begun but she doesn't see the difference. How I wish I could stop her from experiencing hurt and pain that only peers can bring; stop others from making her feel small and vulnerable. If my holding her close and telling her how much she mattered and how special she was could help, I would do it every moment I can find. But, she has to have her own experiences, and needs to learn her own lessons.
I wish I could teach her early on not to judge, especially not to worry about being judged in turn. If only I could explain how important it is that she never change herself to fit in or to impress someone else because those who liked her for who she was wouldn't care.
More than anything, I don't want her to be lied to, and her to put her trust in those that want to just pull her down and belittle her. I want her to know that she is talented and has a long way to go, and she should never give up, no matter whatever was said otherwise.
But she's young, and she'll walk her path. I'm sure I was told the same things by my mother who wanted nothing more than to protect me, but I was too young to understand.
And I know I am what I am because of all of my experiences, good and bad, put together.
I know for certain that Kiera will do the same; because she is me, frozen in a memory full of sand, pyramids, kings and princesses with the only the 'bad men on the horses' to hurt me.
Kiera has come a long way, and I have a long way to go.
