Her necklace says "Beauty". She made it herself out of beads she got as a gift and has been wearing it on and off since Christmas.
"...Because I am full of beauty." she says.
We talk about what beauty means and what makes something beautiful. We talk about how everyone has different eyes in their faces and brains in their heads and hearts in their chests. That we are all moved and inspired by different things. Archer sees beauty in traffic jams and tall buildings. I like to look at paintings and people playing music on the sidewalk, weathered books, pictures taken by mistake. I tell her that in order to inspire others we must take the beauty we find and pass it on.
I tell her that she inspires me. And Archer. And daddy. And her baby sisters. And Gooey. And Papa. And everyone else that is kind and generous. People inspire me. People and all of the wonderful things that they do.
"What inspires you?" I ask her.
And without so much as pausing to reflect she shouts out, "Butterflies!"
... When I pick her up from school, the necklace is gone.
"Where did it go?" I ask her.
"I gave it to my friend."
GGC
