She Sees

A little girl was walking through a beautiful forest when she encountered an old woman who was picking flowers. “Who are you?” the little girl inquired, and she felt magnetized by the woman’s powers. The old woman looked up at the little girl and said, “I am you when you are old.” The little girl stepped closer to look at the old woman carefully, trying not to be too bold. “What happened to your hands? They are all spotted and wrinkled and your hair is ashen sprinkles.” “Yes, from all we’ve touched since we were born,” the old woman replied as she held out her hands for the little girl to exam with pride. “Do you see where I held my babies? Where I hugged those I loved? Where I created beautiful things to share with my family?” It was more than the little girl could imagine but she began to relax into her fantasy. The little girl smiled at the old woman and she smiled back. “You have lots of lines around your eyes and mouth” but the little girl saw that happiness was intact. “Yes, they are a road map of every experience I have ever had. Everything lost and everything gained,” and the lines around the old woman’s eyes deepened when she smiled at her again. “You are so old. Are you happy? the little girl wondered. The old woman gathered the little girl to her side and took a minute to ponder. She looked deep into her little girl eyes and said “My dear child, oh such much life yet to be. We have had a most wonderful time, you will surely see.” A thought so wild the little girl was not sure if it could really be. “Are you going to die soon? The little girl asked, an idea almost too hard to conceive. “I don’t know when I will leave this body,” the old woman said wistfully. More determinedly the old lady said, “But I don’t fear death, for this is not the end of me, of us. You will see. ” “Will you stay with me?” the little girl asked when the old woman went back to picking flowers. “I will always be with you. Until the very end,” said the old woman as she handed her a beautiful bouquet of sweet magical flowers.