| > | | | | of energy in my life. And then like a shooting star, the |
| She was three. Just released from a far-away | | | | coin was flung into the foaming water and with it, her |
| hospital after life threatening brain surgery, ready to | | | | wish. |
| take on the world again. I was happy just to have her | | | | We happily continued our stroll into the familiar section |
| back. My little "Mr. Clean" (shaven head and hoop | | | | of the mall. An eerie silence ensued, which I was |
| earrings) and me driving along to our local mall. Hanging | | | | admittedly uncomfortable with. I couldn't resist breaking |
| out with dad day. I recall her words as if it were | | | | it. |
| yesterday. | | | | "Aren't you gonna tell daddy what you wished for?" |
| "Daddy, can I get a treat?" | | | | She retorted "I wished I could get an ice-cream comb". |
| As she was understandably spoiled (if there is such a | | | | I just about lost it right then and there. Couldn't imagine |
| thing), I replied "ok honey, but just ONE". | | | | what the shoppers thought of this lunatic laughing |
| Her eyes beamed like the Fourth of July in anticipation | | | | uncontrollably in the middle of a crowded mall. And |
| of that something only she knew at the time. | | | | needless to say, she got her wish, and two treats. |
| We drove around to the new end of the mall on the | | | | Little did I know then that my beautiful little girl would |
| normal seek-and-destroy mission of capturing a | | | | soon embark on a long road of seizures, surgeries, |
| parking place. After all, it was Saturday. We landed a | | | | special schools, medications and end up partially |
| fair distance from our destination, and began walking | | | | paralyzed on her right side. She never learned to ride a |
| hand-in-hand towards the entrance, her pace gaining | | | | bike. |
| momentum with each tiny step. A few feet from the | | | | Today, she is almost seventeen. She cannot use her |
| doors she broke loose and ran hands-first into the thick | | | | right hand and walks with a noticeable limp. But she |
| wall of glass, trying with everything she had to swing | | | | has overcome what life seemed to so cruelly inflict on |
| the big doors open. No luck. With a little assistance, she | | | | her. She was teased a lot and always struggled in |
| 'did it' and tried the very same thing at the second set | | | | school, both socially and academically. But each year |
| of doors. | | | | she showed improvement. She is planning a career in |
| It was then that I asked her what she wanted for her | | | | early childhood education. With one year still remaining |
| treat. Without hesitation, she matter-of-factly said "an | | | | in high school, her and I, one night not too long ago |
| ice-cream comb from the ice-cream store". Ok, the | | | | mapped out all the courses she would need to take in |
| goal was set and we were in the mall! | | | | community college. It was her idea. She volunteers |
| But hold on! What was this? At the end of what was | | | | weekly at a local hospital, on the children's floor. She |
| just an ordinary looking lane of retail chain outlets she | | | | baby-sits a neighbors children five days a week. On |
| spied something new- this huge fountain, water | | | | her own this year, she stood outside in line for four |
| shooting who knows how high into the air. The new | | | | hours on a cold Canadian January afternoon and |
| goal line! | | | | enrolled herself, with her own babysitting money, into |
| She ran, and I walked (don't ya just hate it when | | | | two courses she felt she would need for college. |
| parents let their kids run wild in public?), and we arrived | | | | You see, to her failure was never an option. |
| at the spectacle at about the same time. The turbulent | | | | It would almost be redundant for me to explain why I |
| noise was almost deafening. | | | | wanted to share this story with you. She IS my |
| "Daddy, can I make a wish, can I make a wish?" she | | | | daughter and I carry all those fatherly biases with me |
| screamed as she jumped with the kind of pure joy | | | | wherever I go. But these aside, she is a very |
| we've all long since forgotten. | | | | exceptional person and one that I admire and have |
| "Sure honey, but that will be YOUR TREAT you | | | | learned a lot from. |
| know" I explained (gotta be firm with these kind of | | | | It is my sincerest hope that her story will have even a |
| things). | | | | momentary positive impact on you as a human being, |
| She agreed. | | | | a parent, a spouse or even, an entrepreneur. |
| I fumbled around in my pocket and pulled out what I | | | | I'd like to leave you with a closing thought. As human |
| think was a dime (big spender) and placed it in her | | | | beings, we deserve all the treats, and the multitude of |
| outstretched hand. She cupped it tightly, closed her | | | | good things that life can offer us. We all have wishes |
| eyes and grimaced, formulating her wish. I stared at | | | | and dreams, AND the power to make them reality. |
| that little scrunched-up face and said my own kind of | | | | Just simple truths of the universe. |
| prayer of thanks, feeling so blessed to still have this ball | | | | We can wish for, and get, that ice-cream comb. |