Elation...

Elation
A lollipop to a child. The sheer joy and fulfillment on a child’s face when they receive such a thing is a priceless picture. Nothing seems to bother them. It is just the sweet candy mingling in the mouth to create the delicious juices and color the tongue. The sticky goo slips down their little fingers and gets in their hair and all over their face. Pure joyful involvement.

Well, I have conquered. No longer am I anathema to Kalea. The other day I got a smooch. Today I have built trust and have had my dance. We had been out for a long evening filming and returned hot and sweaty. Jeremy had decided to put together a ‘Book of Being’ Party to celebrate what we are doing and so as soon as we got back we just changed clothes and splashed cool water on our faces and prepared to go over to Jeremy’s house. Kalea was over visiting her Grandma and we offered to take her over with us.

Putting out my hands I asked her if she wanted me to take her to see her ‘ma ma and da da’. She took two steps over to me and then suddenly snapped out of my momentary spell. “What am I doing?” was written all over her face. I promised her that I would take her to her parents. Dragging Jordan into the mix I had him grab her and then in the car ride over I kept telling her that I was taking her to see her parents. Then we arrived.

In the driveway Jordan stood holding her and I again offered to carry her inside. With a semi-confident smile she consented. I was elated. Such a small thing but to make me happy. So I waltzed with her through the door. Triumph. She can trust me now. A few minutes after I handed her to Jeremy she reached out for me! So I held her again and danced to the music playing. Wow.

Candy, my friend, candy. I don’t know of a time recently when I have been so happy.

Jeremy set up a great party. He had beforehand called mine and Nathan’s parents to find out old history and put together a ‘how well do you know so and so’ game. It was a lot of fun. Then he gave us gifts of embroidered polo-shirts with the Book of Being logo and Book of Being hats personalized with our character names. It was very special.

My day has been one of struggle with the elements and then pure joy and fun.