We went to Music on the Square tonight in our little town. It’s live music each Friday night. About 150-250 people attend, sit on lawn chairs or blankets in a large grassy area and listen to, what has been, pretty good music.
Grace tonight watched the kids that always play in the area between the stage and the crowd (about 100 feet or so). She asked if she could go play with the boys and girls. We said ok, although I was a little worried about it.
She walked about five steps and came back. She asked if she could go. I said she could. She repeated this step about 25 times. I really didn’t know if she’d go or not. Finally, she went about 40 feet away…hesitated and came back. She asked if she could go. I told her she could.
She went back to the 40 foot perimeter and came back about six or seven times. But then another girl came over and invited her to play.
She went and ran around with the kids for about 45 minutes. I watched her every step, she went out of view a couple of times, but never more than 10 seconds or so.
She was apprehensive about going, scared to leap into the unknown. I felt the same way, she’s not yet four years old. But she did fine. One of the girls came and got her when she came back to us for a drink of water.
It could be said our little girl is growing up and accepting new challenges. But they weren’t any bigger than the challenge of watching her go and not stopping her.
