Stop and Smell the Flowers

Walking into the church this weekend for confession took over 10 minutes.

Turtle loves to walk and is still so proud to have accomplished what she worked up to for so many months. So, instead of carrying her, which would have gotten us there quicker and with a potential for having to wait in line a shorter time, we walked, hand-in-hand.


We stopped to look at all the cars passing on the road we walked beside. And she exclaimed: "Car! Car!"


We sauntered down the walk by the rectory. Her little sharp eyes scanned everything. The sunshine lay bright and warm on the grass and concrete.


We crossed the street. This "wasn't safe" enough, so Turtle got carried for just a minute.


We walked down another sidewalk. Turtle slowly patted the sunwarmed stone wall to her right as she toddled by.


Then, up a couple steps. Oh, there were daisies! As tall as Turtle! She sniffed one, then another. And, more! Yellow ones this time! These flowers were touched, very gently.

A sign, just her height, and with bright blue and white colors showing a handicapped person, had a pat or two bestowed on it's smooth surface.

Then came a big flight of stairs. Climbing these took all Turtle's concentration and leg muscles -- complete with little grunts of effort and a little breath of satisfaction at the top.

Some people to stop and smile at! They held the door for Turtle, but she hasn't figured out yet that one should walk through the doorway in this instance, instead of stopping and bestowing big smiles on the kind door-holder.

Now we were there -- the cool inside of the church. Turtle got lifted up to reach the holy water font. A whole hand dip and a pat of water on the head and we are ready for confession.


It was a lovely stroll.