The alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. Although the bed was warm and cozy, she could stay in it forever if she had a choice. She remembered that she had to make breakfast and send the kids to school. “Why do I have to do everything?” she muttered. “I guess I don’t have a choice. Responsibility can be a trap,” she added.
She leisurely walked to the bathroom, feeling the warmth of the water droplets caressing her skin as she turned on the shower.
After a few minutes, she stepped out and wrapped herself in a soft towel. Her hair was still damp, and droplets of water were trickling down her back and onto the tiled floor. She paused in front of the foggy mirror, wiping it with her hand to get a glimpse of her reflection. Despite the steam and moisture, she could see her face clearly.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment.
She opened her eyes, just to see a little girl staring back at her, no more than six years old looking at her with an innocent smile.
“Who are you and what do you want?” she asked, bewildered by the unexpected sight.
The girl replied with excitement in her voice, “I just want to wish you a happy birthday! You are one year older today. How do you feel about it?”
The woman smiled and replied, “I feel great, thank you.”
The little girl continued, “Don’t you miss your childhood? The days of playing jump rope and hopscotch, chasing after butterflies, and jumping in the puddles until your clothes were covered in mud. Don’t you miss your childhood friends, your mean math teacher who made you work hard, or your very nice and sweet French teacher who taught you a new language?”
“Yes, I miss my childhood, and I wish I could go back and change a lot of things that happened in my life,” the woman said.
The girl responded, “OK, hold my hand and let me take you back.”
But the woman shook her head. “No, I don’t think it’s that easy! This is not real. Today is real, and yesterday is gone. If I have to change anything in my life, I have to change my future and not my past.”
Oh, little girl! If you erase all the mistakes of my past, you will also erase all of the wisdom of my present. Remember the lessons, not the disappointments.”
The girl smiled again and disappeared.
The woman stood before the mirror, her gaze fixated on her reflection. Her eyes traced every inch of her face, scrutinizing every detail. She noticed tiny creases forming under her eyes, the first signs of aging.
She raised her hands, bringing them to her face, and gently massaged the wrinkles. As the tension in her face eased, she felt a sense of calm. A small smile played on her lips, and she turned away from the mirror.
It was me, the woman in the story, and as I walked away, I couldn’t help but wonder where the girl had gone.
Love,
Iman 🌷💕
Carolina Mom 