I Don’t Have The Heart, Yet… To Stop Her Giggles

A mother looks at her daughter, so carefree, and wants to protect her from a world in which girls’ and women’s laughter is looked at as provocative.

My daughter has an infectious smile

The one she flashes at strangers every time we cross one

I just don’t have the heart yet to tell her not to.

My little girl waves at anyone who she makes an eye contact with

I just don’t have the heart yet to tell her not to.

My chirpy little thing shows passersby her new pair of silver anklets

And i just don’t have a heart yet to tell her not to.

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My gleeful bundle swirls and shows anyone who cares her new dresses and also points to their fancy details

I just don’t have a heart yet to tell her not to.

She smiles, she waves, she laughs, she swirls

All with such raw happiness

That I don’t have a heart yet to tell her not everyone she comes across is worthy of her gaze.

Her giggles are what make me lift her off her feet and kiss her till her cheeks turn red

Amidst her playful laughter, I just don’t have the heart yet to warn her about the ugliness the world also holds.

I can’t forever hold my baby in my arms

I can’t forever whisk her away from troubles and give her a tight snuggly hug

I can’t forever stare and scare away people who mean no good to her

I know she has to understand the world on her own

And for that I have to warn her about the good the bad and the ugly that it holds

I just don’t have the heart to break that giggle and start telling her that …. yet.

Till then,

Let me be the rude one who says no to strangers when they come a little too close to her.

Let me be the unpleasant one who holds off people from giving her a hug.

Let me be the one suspecting everyone of the worse

And let my girl skip away in pigtails for a little while longer.

Image source: shutterstock

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