Twenty

You didn't want to come out.

The warm enveloping liquid in which you floated tempted you to stay

You didn't like clothes either

Preferring naked and free to swaddled and snuggly 

You lasted at the breastaurant for exactly one year

Knowing with great certainty the pleasure of your own juice cup

You dislocated your shoulder at four months in your exuberant attempts at walking

The training wheels came off your bike at five years old

You always chose the highest slide

Fearless your old aunts called you

Purple and sparkly duds filled your closet

I could always count on you to collapse into a sleepy heap after birthday parties

You are my daughter 

You have always remained you

Never losing your identity

Formidable in your opinions

Fervent in your beliefs

Steadfast in your will to succeed 

Believer in meliorism 

That the world becomes better through human effort

Off you go

Heading out on your own

Moving forward

Good thing you missed the memo about not growing up

For though I dearly loved the little you

I love the phenomenal young woman of twenty you have become

©kcasady2014