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We walk along the street, the dog zig-zagging from one smell possibility to another, and her hand reaches out to find mine.
She is twelve years old. Confident of her selfhood but not always of the world. Beautiful. Logical. Full of deep, careful thoughts. And she holds my hand.
This gesture of connection stretches my heart. A heart that grew so much on the day she was born that it felt like it cracked its outer shell, and yet her smooth, cool fingers expand it again.
In the grocery store. On a walk. While camping. At the mall.
To be trusted by such a being, to be loved by such a girl-woman, to have her seek me out… It is a beautiful connection. It is a beautiful hand. A beautiful world.
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Handmade Homeschool 
Beautiful post.
I hope to still be holding hands with my sweet girls when they are 12. At 6, my daughter and I hold hands less than my 3 year old and I do. But the feeling brought by either of those two little hands reaching for my mine – well, you pretty much describe it perfectly.
Thanks for sharing this.
I love this – reminds me of that all over great feeling I get when my girls reach for my hand first.
Beautiful. I think my middle daughter and I need more cuddles. She likes to sleep in my bed when her dadddy’s away, hold my hand, snuggle up close and read together, engage in crafty projects together… what a gift. Still, I need constant reminders to take the time to really SEE her, HEAR her, LEARN about her. I hope that when she’s a mom that she’ll call me lots for advice and want to be friends.
::sniffle::sob!::
Oh my goodness… That is just absolute awesomeness.
The unsolicited expressions of love/trust/affection that come from my kids just overwhelms me.
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My twelve year old does too..and I love it. we are blessed.
I love the perspective of the first photograph, so expressive. We’ve got to keep reaching for our daughters’ hands each day:).
when i see my children pulling away from us. grappling with their own independance, i remind myself how important this sense of touch will be for security. holding hands, stroking hair, sitting side by side. physical reminders that we will protect them, and they seek them out too, those reminders. what i often forget is how important this sensation is also for me, to make me feel safe and reassured. yet another beautiful post, thanks!
And she holds my hand too.
I wish she was here to do it now.
Love, Rainer
I just LOVE your site and your pictures and your words 🙂
Just beautiful. Absolutely.
I agree with Gina – it’s the unsolicited expressions of love/trust/affection that just melt my heart. At this stage in parenting, it’s the baby patting my back, or the toddler putting her hands on my cheeks and pulling my face in for a kiss, or the five-year-old curling up beside me with a book for me to read to her.
beautiful post! and I am happy to say that my 12 yr old does this too 🙂
I just clicked over from a Lovely List and wanted to tell you that this is beautiful! Your words and pictures have grabbed my heart. My aunt always talks about how her 20 year old daughter will still hold her hand when they’re out. What a blessing! I hope that my daughters will still seek out my hand when they 12!