Mine, With Something Like Awe

Today I sat cross-legged on a carpeted floor in an indoor gymnasium at a children's birthday party and watched Lily scale a rock-climbing wall. At first I was shocked she volunteered to do this; many, most, of the children said no way. Which is unquestionably what I would have said at 4 if presented with such a proposition, frankly what I would have said now. Then, I was surprised by the determination with which she began, gripping one anchor with one tiny hand, then lifting her leg higher than seemed possible to place her foot on an another. And as she kept climbing, higher than most of the willing children had gone, all the way to the ceiling, 30 feet off the ground? I'm bad with distance estimation, I watched silently as people around us pointed and marveled, watched her as though she were somebody else's child.

She squeezed the horn at the top to signify success and was pulled back down to the mat by the staff member manning the wall. He turned to me and mouthed the word, "Wow." I nodded, and then, aloud, he asked, "How old is she?"

"Four," I said, and stood up, ready to accompany her back to the main area where there was dancing and a balance bean surrounded by foam. She came running to me, eyes shining.

"Did you see me, Mama?" she asked. I told her I did, hugged her a little bit hard.

"Let's dance," I said, turning, but she tugged my arm, planted her feet.

"No, we have to wait," she said. "He says if there's time I can do it again."