Patty HansenOnce upon a time there was a great man who married the woman of his dreams. With their love, they created a little girl. She was a bright and cheerful little girl and the great man loved her very much. When she was very little, he would pick her up, hum a tune and dance with her around the room, and he would tell her, "I love you, little girl."
When the little girl was growing up, the great man would hug her and
tell her, "I love you, little girl." The little girl would pout and say, "I'm
not a little girl anymore." Then the man would laugh and say, "But to
me, you'll always be my little girl."
The little girl who-was-not-little-anymore left her home and went into
the world. As she learned more about herself, she learned more about
the man. She saw that he truly was great and strong, for now she
recognized his strengths. One of his strengths was his ability to express
his love to his family. It didn't matter where she went in the world, the
man would call her and say, "I love you, little girl."
The day came when the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore received a
phone call. The great man was damaged.
He had had a stroke. He was aphasic, they explained to the girl. He
couldn't talk anymore and they weren't sure that he could understand the
words spoken to him. He could no longer smile, laugh, walk, hug, dance
or tell the little girl who-was-not-little-anymore that he loved her.
And so she went to the side of the great man. When she walked into the
room and saw him, he looked small and not strong at all. He looked at
her and tried to speak, but he could not.
The little girl did the only thing she could do. She climbed up on the bed
next to the great man. Tears ran from both of their eyes and she drew
her arms around the useless shoulders of her father.
Her head on his chest, she thought of many things. She remembered the
wonderful times together and how she had always felt protected and
cherished by the great man. She felt grief for the loss she was to endure,
the words of love that had comforted her.
And then she heard from within the man, the beat of his heart. The heart
where the music and the words had always lived. The heart beat on,
steadily unconcerned about the damage to the rest of the body. And
while she rested there, the magic happened. She heard what she needed
to hear.

Patty Hansen

chicken soup for the soul