A Little Bit Shy, A Little Bit Scared

"I'm feeling a little bit shy and a little bit scared."


I looked down at the top of her fair, curly head and watched her as she slid out of the car. Her feet hit the pavement with a slap! I smiled to myself as I watched her shimmy and wiggle to adjust her over-sized backpack on her tiny, little-girl shoulders.

"Baby Girl, I don't believe you've ever been a little bit scared OR a little bit shy in your entire, young life," I replied with a laugh.

Bridget jumped the curb to the sidewalk and said, "Well, today I am!"

It was a beautiful fall day as we walked together towards the school. I was going to be teaching my tiny class of tenth graders, and Bridget was going to preschool. (Her classroom is right across the hall from mine!)

As per our morning ritual, Bridget wanted to stop by the office and hug the women working there. They serve as administrators who love the kids as earnestly as they keep the school functioning and afloat! They are true bright spots in an already special school, and have become dear friends I cherish tremendously. I love how Bridget loves them. And how they love her in return!

I pulled open the door and Bridget bopped inside.

"Ladies," I announced, "my Bridget is feeling a little bit shy and a little bit scared about going to school today."

"We can fix that," they exclaimed!

As Bridget made her rounds for hugs, she lingered in my friend Kris' arms. Kris gave Bridget a big kiss on the head and said, "This will help you feel better so that now you can go to class!" It was the sweetest display of love. Everyone cheered for my baby girl when she said she was ready to go.

While making our way back out the office doors, I jokingly said to the lovely women we were leaving, "Gosh, maybe I'm feeling a little bit shy and a little bit scared about having to go teach my class!"

And then magic happened.

They cheered.

They clapped and cheered, they whooped and hollered! I laughed and they laughed! They grinned and shouted, "You can do it," and, "You got this, sister!" It. Was. Amazing. And the ruckus continued as I turned to head down the hall towards my classroom.

Goodness, we all need that. Every one of us. We all need women manning our corner, cheering us on and telling us we can do the difficult things. We need women who will brace our backs when our burdens threaten to break us; who will lovingly stand by to take some of the load. We need women friends willing to stare into the face of our insecurities and say, "You don't get to win today." And we need women friends to look on our hearts and remind us that they are beautiful.

Women are powerfully connected by golden, spiritual ties that demand we acknowledge our sisterhood. And as sisters--bound by heaven and brought together on earth--we must always strive to take care of each other.

I believe that is what we are here for.


    

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