Ironically on the last day of winter we in central Maine were gifted with an almost summerish day. For me it was the long awaited first barefoot, tee shirt 👕 and shorts day. I read outside all afternoon.
Going up to my mailbox I saw a neighbor's baby girl--OMG! WALKING. Even for those of us who have raised children and know about child development there is something purely amazing about the infant to toddler transition. That child was making the most of her new mobility. And her mother was working on striking that fine balance of supporting her initiative while keeping her safe...
...Just as I'd done with my own children back in the day...
...I was instantly reminded of Christina Perri's A Thousand Years, a moving tribute to mother love. It follows a mother and daughter from birth to a day on the playground when the child steps away with a new friend on the playground. As the child takes joy in new found abilities...
...like my little neighbor...
...the mother provides encouragement and safety. Both are being brave.
This sweet, tender message combined with Joy Hwang Ruiz's luminous illustrations makes A Thousand Years a wonderful bed time read aloud and a perfect baby shower gift.
Today, precisely 1 1/2 years after the stroke I'm still regaining abilities. Last weekend I was able to bounce a light up ball and actually catch it. And today I regained the ability to turn my head while walking without getting dizzy. Eugene and I were grocery shopping when this happened. I kept turning my head to one side then the other. Fortunately Eugene didn't notice my owl imitation. I tossed a bag of Peppermint Patties into the cart to celebrate 🥳 🎉 🎊. Neuroplasticity is awesome.
A great big shout out goes out to the scientists who discovered Neuroplasticity.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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