Just A Girl

She's not yet a pre-teen. She is Herself everyday. She has no idea that anyone could hate her or think she is bad. She loves how strong she is and shows off her muscles proudly. She loves to sing to mommy and make her smile. She thinks she's so funny! She tells her daddy jokes that make him cry with laughter and slap his knees with delight. All her friends love her as much as she loves them. She knows she is very beautiful because everyone tells her and no one would lie. Plus she looks in her mirror when she plays dress up. She is a pretty, pretty princess! She knows she is Special cause daddy looks at her with that wonder and love in his eyes… just like everyone she meets will do once she meets everyone. She believes and has faith in whatever she is told. She believes equally in Santa Claus ,a Tooth fairy, a Savior named Jesus who loves her, an Easter bunny, lots of princesses who live in magical worlds, and a God who created her, and lots of planets in the universe, gravity, and dragons! She can be and do anything she wants to when she grows up. President of the USA, a famous singer, a trash collector, an artist, a walrus, a teacher, a doctor, a mommy, even a daddy!! She loves to eat chocolate and french fries, and ice cream, and cookies. She has never thought about how much she weighs or how much money is in her piggy bank or that one day death will knock on her door…or even cancer. When someone does knock on the door her first thought isn't, “where’d I put my pepper spray” but, “what wonderful new thing is going to happen”, and she wonders if it might be a prize! She knows there is right and wrong though… like it's wrong to take something that doesn't belong to you without asking first… But…not sharing isn't nice. Now, she is older. What happened to THAT little girl? When did she begin that self depreciation mantra always in her thoughts? When did she begin to try to change who she was to please others? When did she lose that self confidence? When did she lose her faith in the magical or mysterious? Why did she start to follow insane rules and let people herd her with their switches to shamefully climb into the box marked, “ JUST A GIRL"? When did she stop loving Herself? Can she remember that girl, that girl that was, Herself? She's not sure. She riffles through old boxes in the attic of her mind, finds her red superhero cape, and fastens it around her slim neck. First, she has to straighten her neck… for it was bent out of shape from hanging her head in shame for so long. No more! She stretches her arms as far as they can go to touch each side of the box she is in…and... like blinded Sampson in the temple chained to great columns, She ************************PUSHES!***************************