Sunday, April 23, 2017

11

Dear Zoey,

Oh Zo. You are 11 and the world is a crazy beautiful mess. At 11 you are just beginning to see this. My heart breaks for you, that you have to wade into knowing that things are not always right. I can see it sometimes there at the corner of your eyes, the knowing. I wish I could stop it, but that is not my job. My job is to hold your hand as you see it, to help you celebrate the blown-egg fragility with resilience and a fine Welsh dark humor.

The other day you convinced me to let you ride in the front seat while I drove us back from the city. It changed the dynamics immediately to have you sitting right there next to me. We sang to Gwen Stefani and cracked jokes as if we were friends. Which we are, but I am careful about that, about everything, and the next time you tried to get in the front seat I said you couldn't. It's not safe yet, I said, and I can't help but wonder what would be the harm of putting you in a rear-facing 5 point harness? (I used to have a friend who said that growing up he and his brother made fun of his cousins because their parents made them wear helmets in the car. Is this such a bad idea??? Why do we all not wear helmets in the car?)

Middle school must be getting to me. Sure, it's 4 months away, but if you have taught me anything, it's that time means nothing. You are still 4 months old yourself, Smurf-faced baby girl, and in 4 months you will be in middle school where the stakes are higher. Pretty please can we find a cute first-day-of-school outfit that goes well with a helmet?

Don't stop talking to me, I tell you, whatever you do, please keep talking to me. The hormones have not yet fully kicked in so you squeeze my hand and tell me you will. Seriously though, I say, because you still let me be earnest, you can tell me anything, I am your safe place. Even if you think I will be mad, talk to me. I will help. 

This is me at 44: I am bewildered, cautious, ferocious, tired. I grab your hand to cross the street. This is you at 11: you are kind, sweet, silly, smart. You grab my hand to cross the street.

Sweet girl, the world is a crazy beautiful mess, and I wish I could tell you (tell myself) that middle school will be ok, that the world will not shock you with how painful it can be, but I can't. But I can tell you this: by far the most shocking thing to ever happen to me is how much I love you. It far exceeds everything else, this relentless tender truth that is you. 

Happy birthday, Zoey. As much as I wanted to, I didn't get you a helmet for your birthday.

I love you,
Mommy


98, 76, 5 (too pregnant and cranky to write), 432, 1 (pre-blog)

4 comments:

melissa said...

I can never get enough of your words.

And these hit really close to home.

Happy Birthday to your forever baby girl!

Cathi said...

Happy Birthday Zoey - may your heart always be filled with love, joy and wonder!

Anonymous said...

Dear Suzs,

The love you have for both of your children melts my heart. No worries! your massive crazy love for them, will shield them, they will see the sometimes, most of the time painful world we live in today, but they will always have you to hold on to and know that your love for them is their fort.

I so much love and enjoy your writing, thank you, for sharing with us, your faithful readers, the important morsels of your life.

xxx
I and T

Geli said...

I agree with the other posters here: you're a gifted writer and we've all become faithful readers (mostly without comment)
Happy Birthday to sweet Zoey, yeah middle school can be challenging, but not at 11. I think I started going to the principal's
office when my daughter turned 13 - hormones!!!