Written for Six Sentence Story ~ “tonic” and
Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, Sunday Confessionals ~ “sweet”

It doesn’t happen very often but last Sunday was a rare babysitting day for us; our usual days to watch our 4-year-old granddaughter Colette are Tuesday and Thursday but both our son and daughter-in-law (Colette’s mom & dad) had to work over the weekend. That was a rarity for them as well, but one is a librarian and the other a doctor and with both the library and the hospital open every day of the week, they sometimes pull a weekend shift but seldom do their rotations coincide as they did last Sunday.
My husband Bill has been having good and bad days this month, thinking about and missing his twin brother who died suddenly on April 2, so our son has been extra considerate, asking if watching Colette at this time is too much of an imposition; we answer without hesitation “Not at all …. in fact, just the opposite!”
Colette is always fun to be with but recently she has been a true blessing and a much-needed distraction …. a tonic, a balm for our sad and broken hearts, a healing magical concoction of love, joy, sunshine and humor blended with a combination of innocent wisdom and an intuitive nature that defies her tender age.
We were looking through some old photo albums with Colette …. snapshots of Bill and his brother as babies, as kids growing up on City Island, our wedding photos …. and even though Colette knew Bill’s brother and saw them together many times, seeing those photos left an impression on her, especially the ones of Bill and Jim when they were babies; it’s true, you know, that when our kids and grandkids are little and they look at us, they only see us as we are and have no idea we were ever any younger than we are right now.
One particularly sweet photo of Bill and Jim brought tears to my husband’s eyes and though he tried to hide his tears, they spilled through his fingers causing Colette to ask why he was so sad and we explained that Uncle Jim was gone, that he had left us to be with God in heaven; she thought for a second, put her little hand on Bill’s and said “Well, that’s ok, Grampy; don’t worry because God will take good care of him and it’s all going to be ok.”
NAR©2024
This is Stevie Wonder with “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life”

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.
“From the mouth of babes” goes the saying. Solace from the least expected source.
My condolences to Bill and your family.
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The unquestioning acceptance and unwavering serenity of a four year old has a way of putting things in perspective.
Sincere thanks, Denise. We are moving forward with the occasional detours along the path to healing.
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My condolences for your loss. Your granddaughter is a rare gem.
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Thank you for your very gracious comments, Mimi. Colette is a real treasure, no doubt. We’re crazy about her!
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Oh, such a sweet post, and the lovely photo too.
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Thank you for your very kind words, Chris. Much appreciated.
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Her words were just what he needed to hear. A touching piece, Nancy.
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You’re right, Keith. Colette is quite a loving little girl. Thank you for sharing your beautiful thoughts. I truly appreciate them.
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Well-crafted Six (but more to point, touching.)
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touching …. that works fine.
Thanks much, Clark.
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Good reminder from Collette: “God will take good care of him“
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Certainly is. Thanks, Frank.
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Wonderful
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Thanks so much, Dylan.
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the world would be such a better place if we could remember the way we thought when we were young. Beautiful ❤️
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Now that, my friend, is very true! It’s a lovely concept, in keeping with “everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten”.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts today. ♡
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yes, that worked. Colette is such a sweet girl. ❤️
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She’s quite special. ♡
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This is beautiful, the purity of a child brings a healing touch to an aching heart. There’s no better distraction.
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Thank you, Manette. We thank God every day for this joyful distraction.
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That was a sweet story, Nancy.
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Thanks, Dale.
All the grandparents I know think the sun rises and sets on their grandkids and we are no different. Each one of our grands is special in different ways. Colette is our soul healer.
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Yes. Quite a few of my friends have that title and they all think like you. I bet she is.
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This even had me ‘welling-up’ Nancy
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That’s a lovely comment, Glyn. Thank you.
Colette is a rare one, a true bringer of joy.
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This is a beautiful moment, and a great sign that Colette is being brought up right. ❤❤
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Thank you for that, Liz.
I am supremely thankful for my daughters-in-law and so proud of the way they are raising their children …. and their husbands! 😊
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Oh, the logic of a child. Lovely post Nancy.
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Absolutely right, Di. I can almost see the little wheels turning in her head.
Thanks so much!
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They are just so wonderful
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Out of the mouths of babes comes great wisdom .
what a beautiful post. Lovely photo 💜💜
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Colette is an old soul, I’m convinced of that. She feels and expresses herself like no other 4 yr old I know. She is a child, of course, but she has an understanding of things beyond her years.
Thank you, Willow.
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A sensitive 💜
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Oh yes! Definitely!
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💜💜💜
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Oh how sweet are her words. The presence of our grandchildren distracts us from our own troubling thoughts.
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Thank you, Sadje. She is an incredible gift. ♡
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😍😍😍
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