Trust Like a Child
a story inspired by a child's observation, for Cultivating Spring '26
About ten years ago my daughter made a profound observation from the back seat of our van on a rainy evening drive. As soon as we got home, I wrote down what she said for fear of forgetting it, but it’s been in my mind ever since. There’s no way I was going to forget it. But I only just now know why. When asked to write something on the topic of trust for Cultivating Oaks Press, Spring Issue: Renewing Trust, her comment came furiously to the front of my pen. It would not be ignored.
Trust takes vision, childlike vision. And it all starts with seeing the unseen. My daughter taught me all I needed to remember in her comment that day ten years ago. It’s the first line of my most recent short story, “Trust Like a Child.”
Here’s an excerpt…
“Don’t the raindrops look like little stars?” Tilly asked from the back seat.
“What?” Mommy turned her head slightly back in Tilly’s direction, but her eyes stayed forward toward the intersection. The light was still red. The car purred. The rain sprinkled. “Oh, no, honey. We can’t see the stars tonight because of the clouds,” Mommy replied.
Ting. Ting. Tuh ting.
“The raindrop stars, Mommy.”
“Oh yes, it is raining, isn’t it?” Mommy mechanically replied, eyes still trained on the stoplight.
Mommy’s eyes had changed. She used to see all kinds of things like raindrop stars. On one of their afternoon tea picnics last spring, Mommy had noticed something wonderful even before Tilly did.
“Tilly, look!” Mommy had beckoned her over. “Lay on your tummy, babygirl. Look closely at this flower here. It’s called gomphrena. Can you see it?”
Tilly flopped on her tummy and peered at the pink wildflower.
“See what, Mommy?” she whispered so as to not blow the flower too harshly with her breath.
Mommy got on her tummy too and whispered in reply, “The specks of yellow on the tips of each spiky petal. They look like little lights. Can you see?”
Tilly squinted her eyes and then gasped. “Oh yes, Mommy! I can see them! Oh, they are so bright! I bet they help the busy bees to find the flower.”
“I bet you’re right, baby.”
Tilly first noticed the change when she had to go to daycare for longer. Mommy used to drop her off at daycare when it was light outside and pick her up when it was still light right after nap time. But now, she dropped her off in the dark and picked her up in the dark. Tilly didn’t mind; she liked being with her friends at daycare, and they liked being with her. And now she got to see the real stars more often. Still, it would be nice if Mommy’s eyes changed back again.
Adding to my TBR list!! <3