Within Reach

I'm still amazed that my little girl Haana is now in kindergarten. Our state has an optional project work called 'Reflections' where the student can turn in project work in any one of a variety of formats (such as music, dance, photography, visual arts etc). This year's theme is 'Within Reach'.

I felt its a bit premature for kindergarteners. They are adept at doing certain things that appeal to them, but to do a project work on a certain theme, it seemed to me, it may be too early.

Anyhow, I asked little Miss Haana what did she want to reach when she grows up. What did she want to be. I was expecting to be surprised, I had never actually asked her that question before. In my mind she's already growing up too fast, I want to stretch out her little-kid-days endlessly, like string cheese.

She told me point blank, she's not going to be just one thing, she's going to be 7 different things when she grows up. I asked her what these 7 things were. Scientist, astronaut, teacher, artist, builder, chef... I lost the 7th one! When I asked her again to remind me what the 7th goal was, she hesitated and said - diva. I shot back, these are not the things you already are! It's for the future 😁. She and I giggled!

She worked on her project work over several days. It is, afterall, all within reach.

Judging the Book by the Cover

Judging by the size, little Miss Haana is the tiniest child for her age. This becomes even more apparent in her new elementary school, where almost all other kids, are way bigger than her. When I see her in a group of kids, she's this tiny little frail thing, that might fly away if you blow too hard.

But, as with most other things in life, it's whats inside that matters more ultimately. Miss Haana is no frail at spirit. As witnessed daily with high octave fights between mother and daughter, she's not lacking in passion, opinion or just pure sass. Yet ever since kindergarten started, I've fixated on how much she's eating and how that's hardly enough. And then every once in a while I realize regardless of her size, or maybe in spite of it, she's just so simply amazing.

The other day we went to PinStack which is a bowling alley but has other games and stuff too. It had rock climbing walls that Miss Haana stood in line for. But, looking at her, the attendant said the minimum weight requirement is 40lb. She made her stand on the weighting scale and Miss Haana was 36lb. Poor Haana was very disappointed. So, we turned to another section where they had a high rope course - ropes tied up 20 feet high in several different patterns, and tests the wits and agility by criss-crossing the ropes with a harness on. The first time i got up on a rope 20 feet high, i momentarily froze! But then one step next to the other, and it was exhilarating. Little Miss Haana wanted to try it. We all got in our harnesses, Miss Haana went first, I was right behind her. I was expecting she will freeze up there initially too, like i did on a previous occasion. But, she didnt. She looked to make sure I'm coming, and I told her I'm right behind her. But then, she didn't look back, didn't hesitate, didn't freeze. She just kept on going. She didn't say she was scared.

And for a minute I marveled at that. I marveled  at how her spirit is much much larger than her tiny frame. And I'm good with that!