My Girl Maggie

My girl Maggie, she’ll be tall and as tough as a tree…

Like a tree she’ll grow with her head held high

And her feet planted firm on the ground.

And you won’t see nobody dare to try

To toss her or boss her around.

I guess it's safe to say, that from now onwards,  every gathering in our family - whether they are birthdays, reunions or anniversaries, they will all center on one special little girl.
 
To celebrate my brother, Alpee's birthday, my sister Kat was gracious enough to lend her condo unit as space for celebration. It was our first time going there, and we got lost in a maze of strange, twisting streets and dead end alleys. I was agitated, because Maggie was already at the condo, and my brother said they had to leave early. (Nooooo!!!)
 
When we finally got there, she was in a pretty sun dress, just traipsing along the paved grounds, smiling and laughing gaily as a light breeze blew her hair. She was having the loveliest time, and it was only natural to skip and twirl along with her.
 
Inside the unit, Maggie proudly showed off new tricks up her sleeve. She performed animal sounds like "bok bok" for chicken, "kokak" for frog, "raaarrr" for lion, and "aw aw" for dog. She cupped her hands to her face, and displayed her "pretty girl look." She put on her tiny pink shades and modeled for us.
 
There were moments, when she would say uncannily grown-up things. Rummaging through my bag, she found my phone, and told me bossily, "Cellphone mo." Or, when asked for a kiss, in exchange for food, she irritably said, "Naman, eh!"
 
Her expressions are priceless. There is unabashed joy in her eyes and her smile, as she sees and feels and experiences something for the very first time. Oh, to be that young, that every single moment is just sheer delight, with no past or future to drag down or encumber you.  
 
She is like that Sting song, "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" -- an endlessly fascinating little person, at whose existence I marvel at constantly. Who is this young girl, who, only years ago did not even exist in our lives? And now she is a walking, talking, thing of beauty.
 
Amazing, amazing, amazing, this gift. Thank you God, for this gift of a precious new life! :)