As Jonathan and I were walking home the other day - I saw a little girl out in her front lawn - completely lost in her imagination. She had a small doll with a pretty pink tulle skirt that she was dancing with and talking to. I wished we could have walked by invisibly - I remembered the startle that comes when you realize there are "outsiders" - nothing shoves you sharper into real life than a stranger watching you "play". And she was startled - I just smiled at her then looked away - hoping she could quickly sink back into the world I had ripped her from, although I knew she would now be more aware of the road in front of her and who might be on it.



I saw her and I remembered - almost achingly. I used to spend hours outside - my favorites were windy days - twirling in the breeze - talking to my dolls - my cat - my dog - myself. I can't remember the conversations - even then I knew half the time they didn't make sense, I was just talking and imagining. She was at that -on the verge- age - she has only a short time left of just being a child, soon she will no longer dare to loose herself to that secret world out in the front yard where *gasp* someone might see her. She will slowly loose the inventions of her own mind and will fill it instead with the inventions of others' minds. And all I can say is - just keep twirling little girl - keep twirling - don't worry about what people think - enjoy the breeze and the company of your doll for as long as you can.