Springs' Reasons Why

"Mom, why can't I go have ice cream with Johnny?! You know his parents. Come on! it's just ice cream and I'll be back before dark." "Hannah you know how your Dad and I feel about this kind of thing." Hannah began tearing up and ran upstairs. As she entered the bedroom , her sister was lying on her bed crushing over the newest teen magazine with the popular heart throb on the cover. "Geez Hannah, where's the fire?" " Susie you don't understand. Mom won't let me go see Johnny. It's just ice cream! Why's she always treating me like I'm a baby?!" Hannah, now in hysterical sobs. "OMGness, you're always so dramatic!" Susie, becoming frustrated with little sis' almost constant drama. "But, I'm almost 11! I'm not a baby!" " Yeah well, I'm 14 and I'm just barely allowed to hang out with boys. But only with a group of friends with us." Susie has always been the reassuring sister. Trying to calm young Hannah down. Hannah ran to her bed, and berried her face in her pillow. Susie heard Mom's footsteps slowly coming up the stairs. She opened the door and said "Hannah, you know how we feel about this. You're not yet old enough to start seeing boys." "But Mom I'm almost 11 and all of my friends are allowed to go to MOVIES with boys, and I'm not even allowed to go have ice cream with Johnny. You know his parents are nice. MOM!" "Oh Hannah, I'm sorry but we're not gonna budge on this ." Now bawling " That's not fair!" Hannah firmly planting her tear stained cheeks into her pillow again and crying even louder to make sure they know how upset she is as any almost 11 year old would do.

Mom, turning her attention to Susie. "Susie would you like to come down and help me set up for the ladies coming over? We're having a cooking tool demonstration party. Should be fun." " Yes, anything to get away from the crying." with a sheepish grin on her face. As they walked down the stairs into the kitchen, Susie says, " OMG Mom, why is she so upset over a boy?" With a reassuring tone, " Now don't be so hard on your sister. It's just her age. And...may I remind you of the fact that you used to be the same way. Always claiming that we treated you like a baby."

As they reached the kitchen, the door bell rang and Jennifer, Cindy, and Amanda entered. "Hi ladies, we're here!" "Mary, I absolutely LOVE the remodeling you guys did on your kitchen. It looks fabulous!" "Yeah, Jack and I worked on the design, but He and a friend did all the work. Jack even lowered the cupboards so my short frame can reach in the back." They all laughed and Mary went into full entertaining mode. The room became very busy and Susie helped making lemonade and plating cookies as Mary engulfed herself in the occasion. Susie happened to look out into the back yard and noticed Hannah outside swaying back and forth in the rope swing hanging from the same tree that she and Hannah used to climb and pretend they were in a fairytale castle together. That same tree has grown taller and wider through the years with each year gone by. The warm sun shinning it's rays through the branches. Susie found Mom and whispered in her ear. "Hannah's out in the backyard. Do you think I should go talk to her?" " No, I'll go talk to her, if you'll keep things going in here." Mom gently squeezed Susie's arm as she turned and went out the back door.

Hannah now a lot calmer, but still pouting. Mom approached her in the swing and sat on the warm, dry grass next to her. She noticed the bunch of spring time flowers Hannah was holding. And as Mom sat quietly at first, it dawned on her that those young flowers could be a metaphor for Hannah's predicament. And as young Hannah finally made eye contact, Mom looked at her with loving kindness in her eyes. And she began. "Hannah, I sure love those flowers in you hands. Where did you find them?" "They were over there in the corner next to the fence." Hannah explained as she pointed. "They're so pretty. I noticed something about them though." As Mom started the conversation, Hannah was curious. "Well, I noticed that these pretty flowers remind me a little bit of you." Hannah looking perplexed and waiting for explanation. "If you look closely at their sweet pedals, they are not fully opened up yet. And the stem is still short, and if you smell the flower you'll notice it hasn't developed its lovely fragrance yet." Hannah raised the handful of flowers to her nose and smelled them. she agreed. "Momma you're right, they don't really have a smell." Mary smiled in agreement and continued. "And just as this tree that your swing is hanging from, it was once a smaller tree with not many branches. And look at it now. Its a strong and mighty oak tree that can handle any storm it faces." Hannah's sweet, innocent face gazed upward at the trees large branches full of leaves. " You are one day going to be ready to face those fierce storms too. But please allow yourself the time needed to grow into the confident young lady that I KNOW you will be, with time." Hannah looked down at her flowers again. "And when I'm Susie's age, can I hang out with a boy if there's a group of friends with us?" Mom cringed at the thought of her youngest growing into a 14 year old. "We will see. But if you just give yourself a little more time, then yes that will be fine with your Dad and I."

Mary walked her sweet girl back into the house and they were met with the laughing, chatty group with Susie running interference on the refreshment situation. Mary's good friend, Jennifer said with a giggle, " Oh girlfriend our diets have flown out the window today! Lets cook some high carb foods!" They all laughed. Amanda and Cindy agreed. "Bring it ON Sista!"

Susie found a vase for that handful of spring flowers. Hannah told her sister, "These flowers are like me, young and small but someday I'm gonna be grown up. Full of color and a lovely fragrance." "Well, I'm hoping it'll be a Lovely fragrance because I have to share a room with you!" Hannah crunched her nose at her sister and they both laughed.

Hannah always made sure there were flowers of some variety on that same counter as a reminder of that day in the rope swing. Those flowers gave her hope of the person she will someday grow into. Mom noticed Hannah looking at the flowers and then glancing outside. "Do you remember that day?" "Yep I do. Thanks for being so patient with me Mom." "Always and forever sweetheart." They leaned their heads against the others and warmly gazed out into the back yard.