“Just don’t run on the playground today. You’ll break your ankles,” I heard someone’s elderly grandmother’s voice say only strangely, from my own lips.

Still, it was fair advice after sending my daughter off to school in new boots two sizes two big.

Thalia, we have to take them back and get a smaller size,” I said this morning as she cradled them in her arms. “I want you to be able to actually wear them this year.”

“But it will take too long!”

“It will take as much time as it takes to go to the counter.”

“But then I can’t wear them on picture day today. Oh please please please mom…I really want to keep them. Can I?”

“Tell me this. Honestly. If today were not picture day would you be asking to wear them?”

Silence. Continue reading →