While spending some time with her father:
Gillian: Father, is it okay to be popular?
Elijah: What do you think?
Gillian: I don't think there is anything bad with being popular. I'm very popular in my school and I like it.
Elijah: What do you mean?
Gillian: Well, I have a lot of friends, and all of them want to play with me. Sometimes, it gets hard pleasing them all, but I've come up with a plan. Every Monday and Wednesday, I play with one group of friends, and every Tuesday and Thursday I play with the other group. On Friday, I usually play with both either taking turns in different recesses or just combining them together. It really works well, and I enjoy playing different games with the different groups.
The previous conversation followed up by mom:
Melita: I heard you telling your father that you are very popular at school.
Gillian: Oh, yes, mother. Lots of people love me, even the bullies.
Melita: How does this make you feel?
Gillian: I really like the attention, mom. But, I promise I'm not one of those spoiled girls who think they are better than everybody.
Melita: I'm proud of you. So, why do you think you are so popular?
Gillian: Well, I'm nice to everybody, and I don't like to gossip. I'm polite and sincere. I don't say silly things. Boys don't like being around silly girls. And then, mother, I do have the most splendid imagination in the whole school. I come up with different kinds of games every day. They all are astonished by the stories I make up.
Melita: I'm glad you are kind to your friends and that you share your talents with others. I just hope you will always choose to be nice and good, even when you are not popular.
Gillian: Don't worry, mother. It seems I'm natural at being kind.
(I don't remember myself being that mature or confident at eight years old. Why does this make me nervous?)
A less serious conversation taking place this afternoon:
Gillian: Mother, I have a DISEASE!
Melita: Goodness, Gillian, what's wrong?
Gillian: I have the Reading Disease. All I think about is books. I think about what I'm going to read next. I read every moment I can and I am in distress when I'm not reading. I'm telling you, mom, this is a disease.
Melita: Can I tell you a secret?
Gillian; Yes, go ahead. I won't tell anyone.
Melita: I have the same disease, and what makes the matters worse is the fact that you never get over it.
(We then both start laughing and hugging each other, feeling even more bonded than before.)
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I feel like I am reading an excerpt from Anne of Green Gables.
ReplyDeleteGillian Garmon aka Anne Shirley!
As her grandfather, I have thought the same - Gillian does remind me of the character Anne of Green Gables. She actually does think and talk in much the same was as does Anne. Gillian is blessed with a purity of intelligence that she constantly seeks improvement of self and betterment of others. Her love and consideration of others is genuine. She is very well read, interested in nearly everything, and fluent in her interests. Her compassion runs deep, her forgiveness immediate, and her loyalty unfailing. She is secure in the love of her family and unafraid to step up in righteousness. Quite a remarkable young lady, she is an example to us all. We love her much.
ReplyDeleteI have the reading disease too.
ReplyDelete