Today she will be a princess

Some might say a princess dress should only be worn on special occasions. But my five-year-old granddaughter would disagree with you.

To her, EVERY day is a special occasion. 

She puts on a princess dress to make breakfast. And to check the mail. And to walk the dog. She wears one while doing puzzles. And painting pictures. And playing games. In her mind, there are no instances or destinations, where a princess dress isn't the most perfect choice. 

Over her short life, she has amassed a small collection of these dresses. From simple nightgowns to fancy ball gowns, each one brings her an immeasurable amount of joy. She loves being able to choose "just the right one" to wear on her next adventure.  

And at her age, everything is an adventure. From the simple to the mundane, she finds awe in things grownups so easily overlook. There may be no one on earth who gets more delight from scanning groceries than she does. It takes us twice as long, but the happiness it brings, makes it all worthwhile.

Grandchildren are amazing because they remind us of what we missed with our own children. And it gives us a second chance to slow down. To enjoy the moment. To not care what other people think.

As parents, it's easy to be impatient. We grab little hands and pull them along. We're always in a hurry. Always running late. We rush around, worried about the dirty dishes. And the pile of laundry that has to be put away. We prioritize things we think are important. Like outfits that match. And taking perfect pictures. 

And before we know it, it's gone. And all those things we thought should matter, really didn't matter at all. 

We naively rushed through their childhood. Thinking it would last forever. Wasting time fighting battles we didn't need to fight.  

And when it's gone, and they're grown, we miss it. We miss those moments when we could have stopped to play, to listen, to hold little hands that just wanted to show us how they see the world.  

It was within our grasp, and we took it for granted. 

And then God gives us a grandchild. And suddenly we get the chance to do it all again. Rarely in life do we get a "do-over", an opportunity to re-live those precious moments. But here I am, blessed with this chance, and I'm determined not to waste it.  

I love the freedom this wisdom has brought me. How it allows me to postpone dishes to be washed and rooms to be cleaned. How I can overlook things that don't matter. 

Like the creative clothing choices of a child. 

And so, my granddaughter has worn princess dresses in unlikely places. She has gone to Church in a princess dress. And to the grocery store. And to the playground. She's worn a princess dress on walks. And at picnics. And on hikes. She's worn a princess dress in a creek. And to a waterfall. And to pet a goat. And when the mood strikes, she puts on a crown. And proudly wears it the entire day without a care in the world.

I long to save these moments for her. I want her to cherish the joy that comes from living a life that allows her to be a curious dreamer. I want her to always believe that finding happiness in small things is as simple at the age of 50, as it is at the age of 5. 

I know the day will come when she won't want to wear princess dresses every day anymore. She will have moved on to different clothing choices. Different dreams. 

And if experience has taught me anything, it's that this day will come sooner than I'd like.

So, when my granddaughter asks if she can wear a princess dress, I don't hesitate. I let her pull out all the options. I let her decide which dress fits the occasion. And I never question her choice.

Later today we're going to a butterfly farm. She has decided the butterflies will like her purple one the best. I was hoping she would pick the pink one. It's fancier and I think it will look better in pictures. But she has her heart set on the purple one. 

The same one she wore yesterday.

I remind myself it doesn't matter. Her choice doesn't need to be a battle. And so we shake off the purple one and she puts it on. And she couldn't be happier. 

Childhood is short.

You blink and it's gone.

Like most parents, I learned that the hard way.

As a grandparent, I don't want to make that mistake again.

Tomorrow, and all its changes, will be here too quickly. 

I can already see them creeping in.

But for now, we still have today.

And if wearing her purple princess dress to the butterfly farm will bring her joy, then today, by all means, she will be a purple princess.

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