Not in a House: A Single Stem

Flipping through the pictures on my camera I realize, there are few of Sophie.

She unfolds into thoughtful, creative stuff all the time. I miss it.

Just like the unruly kids in class, the toddler and baby get the most attention.

While the brilliant student off in in the corner is unlocking Algebra's secrets, nobody notices.

concentrated painting with her new easel

She cooks her own recipes in her wok. She doesn't even need a stool anymore. I let her use the chef's knife on her own. It's as long as her arm. I have my dad to thank for that. He gave us a 2 foot machete to hack down bamboo in the backyard when I was 10.

Sophie makes art with a recklessness and frustration which I feel too. She is rarely satisfied with the

artistic process. She would rather bounce her body off the ground.

She reads books to her siblings with gusto and sing-song kid voice. On nights when my patience is thinner than a coffee filter, she steps in with fresh face and gentle hands.

Yesterday she constructed a Science lab and melted wax into dried leaves. It included a tiny notebook where she took note of her observations.

She arranges beautiful table settings. She wants everyone to come join her. Sometimes I never make it to her table. I remember the magic of fancy dishes. Grandma Kappos would let me use any glass in the cupboard. It was like a full bar in there. She had every kind of glass you could imagine. It made my tummy turn just looking at them. My breathing got real quiet as I'd peer into the musty shelf. I'd lift a single stem out so slowly and set it on the counter, like picking roses. The day I broke one, she didn't even get mad. She just said,

"Well, glasses break." Then she smiled.

Today, I will take Sophie to the 2nd hand store and buy some fancy glasses. We will get apple cider and pick flowers. It's time for a girls night. She needs to know how precious she is. When Grandma let me use her fancy glasses, I thought, "Wow, she must really trust me."

I'd leave feeling quite capable and tall.