How She Shines

My oldest child tends to stand in the spotlight. She's the first, so it just naturally shines on her. She is comfortable there. In fact, I think she is successful because of it. We tend to pay attention to those kinds of people. The ones who stand with confidence in that spotlight. They grab it and make it their own. It's just their way.

But then there are those who avoid that light. It makes them nervous. Or, they just simply don't like it. They are the ones we often lose sight of because they thrive on their own.

Daughter #2 stands behind the oldest. She is caught in the middle of the family order. I think she likes it there. Not the first and not the last. Just perfect in between. This girl of mine doesn't like the spotlight. She does everything she can to avoid it. She likes to fade into the normal.

But yet, she is worthy of that spotlight. Every golden ray of it. This learning disabled girl made National Junior Honors Society. That's no small accomplishment. In her world, it's record breaking. And she did it without fanfare, without honor's classes or teacher praise. She did it without a spotlight.

I've come to realize that this girl carries her own light. It doesn't shine down on her, it simply glows from within. She carries it wherever she goes. And there are moments, like when she walks on a stage to receive a hard earned award, that I feel as if her glow could light up the world. She is truly that bright. All on her own. No spotlight required.