Poor kid, never had -- and never will -- have a childhood. Did she ever have a doll house? A bike? A puppy? She ever sit on the curb with her friends and eat snow cones on a hot August afternoon? She ever been invited to a kid's birthday party -- you know, with balloons, cake & ice cream, silly games with junky prizes? Has she ever gone roller skating? Been to the zoo? Has she ever read a comic book? Has she ever pet a bunny rabbit? Has she ever gone on a walk through the woods with her parents, with her dad pointing out "See these foot prints? That means that a deer had been here not too long ago.And over there..." and her mother says,"You know, when I was a little girl your grandma and grandpa -- my mommy and daddy -- used to take my brother and me out in the wood to look for mushrooms. One time..."
In short, like I said before, poor kid, never had -- and never will -- have a childhood. But then that is so bourgeois.
Very lovely post, it brought back memories. My mother used to do that with me when I was around that age. I learned so much from her and both my folks and my love of nature is to this day all encompassing. There is also nothing like seeing the wonder of God all around you and knowing Gods, and a parents love.