Dimples

                So many types of dimples exist; like the one on my husband’s chin that I fell in love with almost nine years ago. There are dimples that appear on a smiling face, and even dimples that surface on the back of a pregnant woman’s thighs during pregnancy and tend to linger long after.

                The best type of dimples are those that dot the back of a small child’s hands; one perfect dimple above each tiny finger. I’m not sure what it is about those precious little indentations, but they somehow capture the pure innocence of children.

                I have spent many nights admiring my girls’ hands; when wrapped in mine, their small size becomes more pronounced, reminding me to savor the moments.

                A sad day occurred for me when I realized my oldest daughter no longer had dimples on her hands. She is seven now, and growing ever taller and ever smarter. It was at least a couple years ago when I noticed they were almost gone; a time of mourning ensued as I dealt with the idea of my baby passing from a little girl into a big girl. And she certainly is doing just that; she is developing into such a confident, caring person, experiencing so many new things. Her first piano recital, first sleepover at a friend’s house, first week away from home without Mom and Dad, and she’s loving every minute of it.

                It’s wonderful to be able to watch her blossom before us, and it’s an exciting time for us all. Now when she is sleeping, I take her hand in mine, no longer covered in dimples but still smaller, fingernails in several shades of nail polish, and I envision all that we have been through and all that we will go through in the future.

                Dimples or not, her hands will forever signify my little girl.