I have written many times about Malía's heart, her empathy, and yesterday, she blew us away, yet again with what she thinks about, what she feels. I mean one minute she is this crazy, giggling, uber energetic 34 month old who spills what she drinks and colours on the dog, and the next... well, it's like this little old soul is in there, and has to make herself known from time to time.
See, a couple of weeks ago, Malía was having a hard time falling asleep. Finally after almost 2 hours of hearing her talk/sing/bang on her headboard with a stuffed toy, I invited her to come lay on me on the couch. I think her feet hit the ground before I had the whole sentence out. Well, I was watching a bio-pic on Terry Fox, and as is the rule after 8pm, the tv stays where Mama wants it, so she simply streched out on me and watched, as well.
She was quiet and still for so long, that I thought she'd fallen asleep until she suddenly asked why he had such a big boo boo. I explained the cancer, the amputation, and she was quiet again until a near miss with a Mack Truck caused him to fall into a ditch. Mal sat up and let it be known that what the trucker had done was mean, and not nice and that he should go in time out. Later, when Terry's thigh began to bleed from the prosthesis, she got very upset and covered her eyes- I figured the movie was too intense and put her in to my bed.
A half hour later, I realized that not only wasn't she asleep, she was actually still trying to follow the movie without by listening only, when she asked me a question about it. I relented and let her come back out to the living room. She ensconced herself on the couch and didn't move for the duration, except to ask for clarification when something confused her.
I put her to bed at 11pm that night, and I heard no more about Terry Fox-
until yesterday.
My Mom doesn't know what triggered it, but apparently, as they were coming home from the park, Malía abruptly asked her vó-vó and vô-vô if they knew Terry Fox. My mom says she said it just like that, "Terry Fox". Malía then proceeded to explain to them that he had only one leg b/c of a big boo boo, and that he ran on the road etc. My mom was taken aback and asked Mal how she knew about him. Malía told her "mama teached me".
My mom told me this, in Mal's presence, when I came to pick her up. Moments later, we were on the way home and Malía was uncharacteristically quiet. I looked back and she was turned to the window, looking ready to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she answered:
Mal: Mama, I'm sad.
Mama: Why, baby?
Mal: Mama why Terry Fox have just one leg? Why he was running with just one leg?
Mama: I told you honey, he had a big boo boo that the doctor's couldn't fix. It's called cancer. To make the boo boo go away, they had to cut off his leg.
Mal: But Mama it hurts him.
Mama: Yes, at first, but then he was okay. That leg didn't hurt anymore.
Mal: Mama why he running? Why he run on the road? The truck can hit him.
Mama: To show that someone who has only one leg, like him, can do anything they want. And to make money.
Mal: Why he wants that, Mama?
Mama: Well, doctors need it to study about the boo boo, about cancer, and hopefully one day stop it so no one else gets sick.
Mal: Mama?
Mama: Yes?
Mal: (big smile) I like Terry Fox. (pause) Can we go to the park now?
And Terry has not been mentioned since, but maybe next year we'll sign up for the annual Run. :)
See, a couple of weeks ago, Malía was having a hard time falling asleep. Finally after almost 2 hours of hearing her talk/sing/bang on her headboard with a stuffed toy, I invited her to come lay on me on the couch. I think her feet hit the ground before I had the whole sentence out. Well, I was watching a bio-pic on Terry Fox, and as is the rule after 8pm, the tv stays where Mama wants it, so she simply streched out on me and watched, as well.
She was quiet and still for so long, that I thought she'd fallen asleep until she suddenly asked why he had such a big boo boo. I explained the cancer, the amputation, and she was quiet again until a near miss with a Mack Truck caused him to fall into a ditch. Mal sat up and let it be known that what the trucker had done was mean, and not nice and that he should go in time out. Later, when Terry's thigh began to bleed from the prosthesis, she got very upset and covered her eyes- I figured the movie was too intense and put her in to my bed.
A half hour later, I realized that not only wasn't she asleep, she was actually still trying to follow the movie without by listening only, when she asked me a question about it. I relented and let her come back out to the living room. She ensconced herself on the couch and didn't move for the duration, except to ask for clarification when something confused her.
I put her to bed at 11pm that night, and I heard no more about Terry Fox-
until yesterday.
My Mom doesn't know what triggered it, but apparently, as they were coming home from the park, Malía abruptly asked her vó-vó and vô-vô if they knew Terry Fox. My mom says she said it just like that, "Terry Fox". Malía then proceeded to explain to them that he had only one leg b/c of a big boo boo, and that he ran on the road etc. My mom was taken aback and asked Mal how she knew about him. Malía told her "mama teached me".
My mom told me this, in Mal's presence, when I came to pick her up. Moments later, we were on the way home and Malía was uncharacteristically quiet. I looked back and she was turned to the window, looking ready to cry. I asked her what was wrong, and she answered:
Mal: Mama, I'm sad.
Mama: Why, baby?
Mal: Mama why Terry Fox have just one leg? Why he was running with just one leg?
Mama: I told you honey, he had a big boo boo that the doctor's couldn't fix. It's called cancer. To make the boo boo go away, they had to cut off his leg.
Mal: But Mama it hurts him.
Mama: Yes, at first, but then he was okay. That leg didn't hurt anymore.
Mal: Mama why he running? Why he run on the road? The truck can hit him.
Mama: To show that someone who has only one leg, like him, can do anything they want. And to make money.
Mal: Why he wants that, Mama?
Mama: Well, doctors need it to study about the boo boo, about cancer, and hopefully one day stop it so no one else gets sick.
Mal: Mama?
Mama: Yes?
Mal: (big smile) I like Terry Fox. (pause) Can we go to the park now?
And Terry has not been mentioned since, but maybe next year we'll sign up for the annual Run. :)
2 comments:
She is so sweet!!!!!!! Love that girl!
She has an amazing gently spirit and such a caring heart! What a special little angel you have!
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