You can’t stop time.

You can’t capture light.

You can only turn your face up and let it rain down.

— Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

 

Today Cassidy is seven.

Apparently you can’t stop time.

The Honey Badger Mom in me knows this. Knows my job as a mother is to raise children who don’t need me.

And I look at this photo of my sweet sweet girl, listen to her jabber on about the most nonsensical things, see her dance on her toes and twirl her hair.

My youngest, my baby. Seven.

My eyes tear and my heart breaks.

I fight the selfish urge: to want to be needed.