My Oldest

My oldest daughter, Raeley

is a free spirit

always has been.

I don't know how old she was when I realized this.

It was the way she held picture books

and looked at the pictures

I never could explain it, but she didn't just look,

She saw.

She would point out a small, overlooked detail.

Like it was the reason the book was written.

She was very sensitive about her environment.

It needed to look good. It had to look good.

It was the way she studied people's faces

like she could figure out who they were.

She doesn't mind what people say about her.

She doesn't care about fitting in.

She cares about being true to herself.

Doing what she likes,

and seeing the world through her eyes.

She is strongly opinionated about what matters to her.

Right now it's the state of our country.

Back then it was equality between kids,

Being nice,

and justice for all.

Most of all it was loyalty.

My oldest daughter, fiercely loyal.