Letters to Lila: Growing up

Dear Lila,

It's a terrifying thing, as a parent, to watch your babies grow up. They're supposed to of course; they're babies. It's a natural fact. They're born, they get big. But the world is a scary, mean, unfair place. And I don't want you to ever know that. Then again, it's a beautiful, exciting, adventurous place, and I want you to know all about that. I wouldn't be who I am if I didn't know the ugly, mean parts of the world. So all I can do is hope you have more good than bad, more happy than sad, more beautiful adventures than ugly days. And sometimes, Faith Hill can say it better than I can...


"Fireflies"

Before you met me I was a fairy princess


I caught frogs and called them prince

And made myself a queen.

Before you knew me i traveled 'round the world

I slept in castles and fell in love

Because I was taught to dream.

I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top

To capture tinkerbell

They were just fireflies to the untrained eye

But I could always tell



[chorus]

I believe in fairytales and dreamers dreams like bed sheet sails

And I believe in peter pan and miracles

And anything I can to get by

And fireflies


Before I grew up I saw you on a cloud.

I could bless myself in your name and pat you on your wings.

Before I grew up I heard you whisper so loud

"life is hard, and so is love, child, believe in all these things".

I found mayonnaise bottles and poked holes on top

To capture tinkerbell

And they were just fireflies to the untrained eye

But I could always tell

[chorus]

Before you met me I was a fairy princess

I caught frogs and called them prince

And made myself a queen.

Before you knew me i traveled 'round the world

And I slept in castles and fell in love

Because I was taught to dream...


I hope that you dream, and fall in love, and have a whole host of fairy tales in your life before you grow up and the world tells you not to dream, not to believe, not to pretend. She's right baby girl, life is hard and so is love, so believe in all these things. Stay young as long as you can. Be a princess. Capture fireflies. Sing and dance and be silly. Because one day, you'll be grown up and can't do those things anymore. But you can always dream.