Shining Bright

Today my baby turned 19. She's off at college. For the first time in 19 years, we won't be sharing chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Last night, in anticipation of her birthday, I checked my earring collection. Nothing jumped out at me. So I went to my craft box and began pulling out my boxes of beads and jewelry findings (jargon for wires and fasteners and what-not used to make jewelry). There I found some cut glass pyramids/prisms, once part of a crystal chandelier. 

Thinking back on summer days when sun streamed through a prism dangling from  our kitchen window, I murmured to myself, "The power of the rainbow!" My youngest child is named Phoebe, Greek for bright and shining. I made these earrings last night, and wore them today for her.

On my way to school this morning, I pressed the CD button to avoid listening to a news story on NPR. Carole King began to sing...

Although you see the world different than me

Sometimes I can touch upon the wonders that you see

All the new colors and pictures you've designed

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Child of mine, child of mine

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

You don't need direction, you know which way to go

And I don't want to hold you back, I just want to watch you grow

You're the one who taught me you don't have to look behind

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Child of mine, child of mine

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Nobody's gonna kill your dreams

Or tell you how to live your life

There'll always be people to make it hard for a while

But you'll change their heads when they see you smile

The times you were born in may not have been the best

But you can make the times to come better than the rest

I know you will be honest if you can't always be kind

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Child of mine, child of mine,

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Child of mine, child of mine

Oh yes, sweet darling

So glad you are a child of mine

Love you, love you,

child of mine.