A 2-year-old girl was happily playing in the arms of her mother.  The sight of this reminded me of the long-gone past, the time when that little girl was my daughter, when I was driving from Fort Wayne, Indiana to McLean, Virginia in January 1997.  With one hand on the steering wheel, the other hand being held by that little girl. 

To be sure, she was not two yet.  The journey was too long for her.  She could not sit in her car seat for that long without being held by mom.  She cried for mom and insisted on having me holding her.  I explained to her, “Mommy got to drive.  Mommy cannot hold baby.”  She knew it, so she said, “Baby hold mommy.”  With that, she crawled out of her car seat to the front, trying to reach me.  I gave her my hand.  She was so content just holding my arm and laying her baby head on it.  The best moment for her was to sit in my arms and have me read to her.

Thinking back, I must have been out of my mind at that time, keeping myself crazily busy with teaching, taking computer courses, trying to make more money. I never seemed to have time for my little girl. 

Before I realized it, the little girl is as tall as I am now and has no need of me.  Hold your little girl before they become the memory of the past.  Otherwise, hold the teddy bear that she once held, for that bear never grows up.