Veruca is kind of a special gal. I mean, she’s my kid so of course she’s special to me. But she’s also special. Complete strangers stop me on the street all the time to ask about her. When Aspie was a baby, he garnered a lot of attention as well, but for his beauty. People always wanted to look at him. To be honest, poor Devil Dog doesn’t get much more stranger commentary extending beyond, “Wow, solid boy there, huh?”
Anyway, there is something very intriguing about Veruca. She has an ability to source out people in pain and comfort them. We have a family friend who is the mother of a young girl with cancer. The first time Veruca met her, she just walked up to her and wrapped her arms around this girl. And stood there. For at least five minutes. Veruca was three years old at the time and I never forgot that. I was so amazed by the level of intuition and compassion she had for a sick little girl. To this day, when Veruca flocks towards someone, they invariably have suffered some sort of loss or illness. I used to try and stop her when she’d target some random person at Olive Garden because she needed to let them know that she loved them. There is no stopping this child when she senses a soul in need. She’s like the fucking People Whisperer. So we now take full advantage of it because she finds joy in everyone and even the saddest of people take genuine joy in her.
Today my mother took my cousin out to lunch. You may remember that she tragically lost her fiance a few months ago. Well, my mom took Veruca with her. After she meeted and greeted various restaurant patrons, she spent two hours regaling my cousin with tales of princesses and how important it is to remove your hat and sunglasses when you sit down for lunch. Manners are polite and being polite is important after all. She also confided that she has a crystal in her heart where unicorns live. What a wonderful perspective. I want crystals in my heart. I think she gave my cousin a couple hours of respite. According to my mother, when they left the restaurant, Veruca twirled a few times and did a full forehead to shin curtsy and proudly announced, “Thank you! Thank you so very much!”
I don’t know where my daughter’s unbridled levity comes from. But God…I hope she always dances with sunbeams and cries for the wayward ladybug who isn’t with their ladybug family. She’s special-she really is.
Tags: Veruca
God bless her…such a little angel.
[Reply]
look at her little wrist! just ever so daintily perched in the air… she is too precious.
[Reply]
I think that it’s time for Veruca to come to Texas for a visit with me.
Don’t you?
Janine
[Reply]
“She’s like the fucking People Whisperer.”
LOL! The world needs more Verucas. I want a crystal in my heart, too.
[Reply]
Aaawwwww she really is special.
[Reply]
All the wee ones are special. Devil Dog is special just in that sweet smile of his.
That outfit is precious on Veruca…I want crystals in my heart too…oh to be young again.
[Reply]
That’s beautiful : )
My mother–kind of a realist, so she was never exactly sure what to do with me–used to scream at me, “That social worker complex of yours is going to be the death of you! It’s going to be the death of all of us!” when I did things like give away my winter jacket to a kid from the projects or not come home at night because one of my friends was having hysterics in the park. Give money to the old women at the nursing home where I volunteered. That sort of thing.
I think it’s wonderful that you understand and appreciate Veruca. She’s lucky to have you–and, of course, vice versa : )
[Reply]
And you obviously have a lot to do with who Veruca is.So you have a lot to be proud of.
[Reply]
That is just so sweet. I hope she never loses that.
[Reply]
Aww! Don’t you want to send Veruca for a nice vacation in Venezuela? I’ll be glad to take her of her! I could take her to the beach, to the pool, to the park, to the movies.. everywhere!
[Reply]
Oh, I meant to say ‘I’ll be glad to take care of her’!, sorry, haha
[Reply]
Awww… What a little dolly dewdrop from Heaven above… That’s normally a phrase I reserve for my own little angel, but I think your little gal deserves it today.
[Reply]
Remember this child is betrothed … to my child!! Don’t you forget it!!!
[Reply]
I was like this as a child and still to this day feel so much compassion for people. Make sure she knows she can’t save everyone though, I couldn’t.
[Reply]
Strange, my son seems to have a crystalized heart…like stone. How much better to have a crystal where unicorns live. That girl is gorgeous!
[Reply]
adorable. simply adorable. She’s beautiful inside and out. Her crystal shines through. Out of her eyes and heart.
[Reply]
What a beautiful kid!
[Reply]
Wendie, you have such a gift in Veruca. She’s got a genuinely good and pure heart AND a sense of humor. She is going to make so very many people happy during her lifetime.
YOU have a lot to do with this, as does Special K.
xoxo Lame-O
[Reply]
Ya know, you once linked to your mother’s blog, I bookmarked it and I read her now too. Veruca is very very much like your mother in many ways. She connects with people in ways mundane people cannot or are too afraid to.
[Reply]
what a great post you are a great writer.
[Reply]