Eye on a Sparrow: The Little Girl Who Gave Away Wild Daisies

Eye on a Sparrow: The Little Girl Who Gave Away Wild Daisies: "Wild Daisies and Queen Anne's Lace Yesterday was the annual picnic that was held out in the Watkins Senior Care Home. Abby and Will’s g..."

The Little Girl Who Gave Away Wild Daisies

Wild Daisies and Queen Anne's Lace

Yesterday was the annual picnic that was held out in the Watkins Senior Care Home.  Abby and Will’s great grandma is a resident there and we attend each year.  They had clowns walking around to entertain the children and live music, which was all quite entertaining.  This year Watkins’s had a family band that played for the visitors and residents, their music was wonderful.  As the afternoon progessed,  the clowns eventually made their way to Abby and Will and they in turn received balloons in the shapes of flowers and swords.  One particular clown spent an extended amount of time with Abby in particular.  They hit it off really well.  He made a flower for her out of some balloons and had shown her a magical coloring book.  Abby was quite entranced by his kindness.  Great grandma Marj and grandpa John and grandma Marji were visibly excited over seeing the relationship develop between and Abby and this kind man.  The clowns were so friendly and giving to the children, and it made Will and Abby and so many more children happy to interact with them. 

Abby finds so much joy around the wildflowers.

Before going to the event yesterday afternoon I was busy gardening and attending to our sad plants.  We had been gone for 4 days and the temperatures reached over 100 degrees at times, quite unusual for this time of year.   In comparison now we have unseasonably cool temperatures in the area with the high in the 50s instead of the oppressive heat that we had previously.  During the time that I was attending to the plants, Will was helping me by pulling weeds.  He is getting to be such a good helper, always wanting to do so much.  At times he desires to do more than his body and mind are capable of accomplishing.  Earlier in the day Will and I picked up mulch for the flowerbed and Will insisted he could carry each bag to the car from the cart.  I saw him strain under the load, but I also observed the pride in his face as he unloaded his heavy burden into the trunk of the car.  I will let him at times try to do what I realize is impossible for him, as long as I know it will not injure him.  I believe it is good for Will to know his capabilities as well as his limitations.  By trying to accomplish more, I want Will to see his confidence grow through these ventures.

Will actually had a finch check his bird house out, it seemed to get dizzy from the house spinning around and so left.  Though the event did not bring joy to the little bird, we laughed until our sides hurt.

When Will and I were attending to the flower garden earlier in the afternoon I looked up and saw Abby picking wild daisies on the hillside.  She informed me that she was taking them to the Watkins’s picnic in her backpack.  For me, knowing that a child’s ways are at times mysterious, I let my thoughts go and then resumed my weeding.  Later at the picnic our family was separated at a long table in which we sat.  Anne and Abby were seated on the other side of the table about 8 feet down from Will and I.  I would occasionally look over to make eye contact with Anne and I could see that she was having fun with Abby by her side.  At one point during the festivities I noticed that Abby was not sitting at the table next to Anne, and so with concern, I began looking around the large open-air tent for her.  I then saw Abby at the other end of pavilion; she was giving away a wild daisy to an elderly lady.  She was surprised when Abby approached her, and was taken a back when Abby gently reached for her hand and gave her the flower.  This gentle elderly lady then beamed a bright smile and Abby shyly smiled in return and then proceeded back to our table.  I looked over at Anne and I could see that she had followed Abby’s progress to the other end of the tent, and being her mother, Anne’s pride was fairly evident.  Thinking this to be a one-time event, I was surprised to see Abby reaching down to her backpack once again and begin handing out daisies to other adults and children who were attending the event.  Both Anne and I quietly watched Abby and noticed how each time that she gave a flower away; people were surprised and then elated that someone had given them this special gift.  One particular gentleman was involved in a standing conversation with some other men.  Abby then proceeded to tap on this man’s leg to get his attention.  He stopped his conversation abruptly and looked around after noticing this little girl below him, he knelt down to hear what this soft-spoken girl had to say.  I couldn’t hear the exchange, but he began to smile when Abby reached toward him with her daisy.  He pointed at the buttonhole in his shirt and he must have asked Abby to attach it to his collar.  She then reached up with some effort and put the flower in his shirt.  He then beamed and said something to Abby and then she quietly turned and proceeded to get another flower.  All in all Abby gave away around 15 flowers that afternoon.  For many she will always be known as the little flower girl who brought so much joy with one small gesture of kindness.  Needless to say her daddy and mommy were as surprised as the rest of her recipients and we were very proud of her as well. 

Early June sunrise greeted by the morning chorus of our feathered friends.

What came to mind when driving home yesterday afternoon was the request that we pray each night, “Father please allow our children to be a blessing to those that you bring into their lives tomorrow.”  I was humbled by how God answered our prayer in such an unusual way, bringing joy through such a simple act as giving away a little flower by this small girl.  I observed that hearts were changed yesterday by this kind gesture of Abby’s.  God not only blessed those present yesterday, He blessed her mother’s and my heart as well. 

Household Helpful Tip:  When adjusting your air conditioning system for the summer, open your register vents upstairs and then you might try closing your downstairs registers, that is, if you have an open stairwell going to the bottom levels.  Cold air drops and by this simple act, it will balance out your house in keeping the temperatures even on all levels and save you money as well.