“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” said the statue.

“Doesn’t what you’re carrying ever get heavy?”

“Yes. It does.”

“Then why do you carry it?” asked the girl.

“I carry it because the hopes and dreams of
little girls are inside the vessel. If I put it down,
all will be lost. This is the only thing that keeps
girls from giving up, in a world that has been
stolen from them.”

“I didn’t know that,” said the girl. “Would you
like some gum?”

“I would, but I will be unable to chew it, or
blow bubbles. Maybe you could do that for me.”

“Sure,” she said, unwrapping a piece of pink bubble
gum. “I’m sorry you have to carry such so much.”

“It’s the least I can do,” said the statue.

The girl chewed until the gum was ready. Then
she blew the biggest bubble she could.

“That bubble was for you. To thank you for all that you
are doing form me, and for girls everywhere.”

“It was a beautiful,” said the statue. “So big.”

The girl nodded and played with the hem of her
shirt. “I wish I could help you.”

“You can,” said the statue.

“How?”

“By never giving up. By fighting back. By simply
becoming.”

“Becoming?”

“Yes,” said the statue. “By becoming all that you can be.”

“”Will that lighten your load?”

“It will.”

“Then I’ll do it,” she said, holding up her fingers. “I double
dog promise.”

The statue smiled and watched the girl skip away. The weight
on her shoulder, was already lighter.

---

I’m an artist, a writer, a vegetarian, an animal rights activist, and quite a few other things as well. I love books, cats, philosophy, good conversation, Chicago and the arts. So my blog is full of bits and pieces but it’s the bits and pieces that make life interesting to me. You can read more of my writing at Rethinking Life