Coming out of the shadow

I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit puffed up today. Today is one of those days that moms and dads replay in their minds over and over and never cease to get a little teary each time they do. Being a middle child is hard, so I hear. I am the youngest of two, so I have never felt it myself, but I have seen it with family and friends...and my own daughter. As the mom of three children, naturally I think they are all the tops and, like Beverly Goldberg, often have my mom goggles on with things they do...barely suppressing the raging desire to stand up and scream "That's MY baby!!!". G has lived in a unique position most of her life. She is the sister of an amazing big sister S and an equally amazing little brother, F. Through the years, she has been kind of, well, just G. Overlooked and in the shadow of her siblings. Not a new story to anyone and probably one of a million out there AND not the worst place one could be, sandwiched between two people who love her so very much. But she's ours and we think she's incredible. So when she had difficulties and was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia, she bucked up and took every bit of tutoring like a champ. Oftentimes there were weeks where the weekends were her only off evenings from tutoring. She sacrificed a lot to learn how to learn and read in a way that made sense to her beautifully wired brain. Through all of this, she remained quiet and refused to tell her friends, only her very closest one from birth knew. We let her know it was nothing to be ashamed of and her brain was wired to do incredible things that regular ones couldn't, but still she guarded her "secret" and we respected her wishes, though we shared with our friends and family from time to time. So as her fifth grade year began, we entered it with severe apprehensions and realized that this was her last year in a somewhat protective educational bubble before she was thrown to the hounds in middle school. As always we told her, "We don't care aout grades. Just as long as you do your best." So far, she has pulled straight A's all year. No, it's not about the grades, but those A's really pump up self esteem. Her teacher has not allowed her to give up or claim inadequacy in an area. She has forced her to work through and perservere. She has thrived. It has been exciting and scary to watch.

So, let me get to the meat and potatoes of today. Our school has an award/scholarship called "Hamilton's Heroes" that has the safety patrols write an essay on the six pillars of character diiscussed at school and how they use those in their lives and their jobs as safeties. The essays are then blind judged and scored on a Rubric. The winner gets their Patrol Trip to Washington DC paid for and their name goes on a plaque in the school hall. Today, after being in the shadows, G stepped out and accepted the award for being a Hamilton's Hero. The look of shock and pure joy on her face was devastatingly beautiful. Then suddenly I was filled with dread: she has to read her essay in front of her classmates. Her reading might halt; her dyslexia secret would be out to her friends. Shame on me. SHe held her head high and spoke out with every word. Sure she was nervous, but she allowed her classmates to hear about her life and her closely protected secret. It was wonderful. The little boy that she is in charge of getting to class every morning ran to her afterwards and hugged her so very tight and she hugged him right back. The teachers and principal commented about how good she was with him and how he listened to her instructions. That said it all to everyone watching.

All my children are heroes to me. Today I am proud that a great girl, often overlooked, received recognition and a prize that fit her to a tee. Love you, Grace the Ace.



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