Walking at Girls on the Run

I took this picture while I was walking with a girl from Girls on the Run. I liked how the sunshine was touching the faces of the tallest leaves remaining on top of the tree. I LOVE that color blue.

Riley was running along ahead of me, not needing me, and so I walked with one of the girls who walks, not runs. She’s in fifth grade and she shared with me how a boy she is friends with asked her to be his “girlfriend” the day before. She told him she’d have to think about it. Today she told him as long as he realized “there would be no kissing, because kissing is gross, and as long as he realized it was just a title,” then yes, she would be his girlfriend. She is smart as a whip!

Another one of the “walkers” shared with me a couple weeks ago how her father died two years ago from complications due to diabetes. She said she had nightmares for months after he died, and she had to go on medication because of it. She’s in third grade and still sucks her thumb.

One girl shared with the group that her mom’s ex-boyfriend is in prison for selling marijuana.

Some of the girls can’t even pronounce the word alcohol, and assume beer can’t be alcohol because obviously alcohol is bad, bad, bad, but their dads drink beer so that must not count. Their dads are good!

Our district is extremely eclectic. The kids come from a vast variety of backgrounds.

These girls drive me crazy. The way they won’t stop talking ever. The way they don’t listen! They way they all vye for my attention.

I do love them though. I feel a certain ownership and sense of pride seeing them in the hallways at school, when I come to volunteer or pick up the kids.

After all, it’s a privilege to know about someone’s first boyfriend. It’s a privilege to know about someone’s dad who has transitioned.

These girls are so good to Riley.

May the sunshine always touch their beautiful faces. May every one of them reach for the sky.

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10 Responses to Walking at Girls on the Run

  1. Jenny R says:

    Pretty picture.

  2. Meg says:

    What a gift these girls have given you by their trust and what a gift you have given them with your time.

  3. Wanda says:

    What a gift you all are to each other!

  4. amber says:

    Amen.

    🙂

  5. Karen says:

    Reminds me a bit of our days with the “girls”…

  6. Jerri says:

    And so it shall be.

  7. fullsoul says:

    Karen?

    Rotate.

  8. elizabeth says:

    Beautiful, generous post. Thank you.

  9. Carrie Link says:

    Ditto, Elizabeth! So many “girls on the road.”

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