A dear little sister of mine, recently came of age, and is no longer a little girl, but a young woman.
When I heard the news I smiled and was excited for her ... then was anxious, nervous, overwhelmed and scared for her. A lot of responsibility comes with being a woman. As my mom explained to her what it all meant and why it was happening she innocently asked, "Well, do I have a choice if I can have it or not?" (lol, I think, if you did, it would be a little late to decide :) )
Don't we all wish we had a choice when that long-lost red-headed aunt came for a visit? Ultimately we don't when it comes down to the nature of things. Being a woman comes with trials and experiences that only another woman can understand. Although going through puberty is the pits, becoming a woman is worth it.
With arms outstretched, I tried to think of a way to "congratulate" my sister and let her know she was not alone. And although she may be scared and confused all of the women in her life have gone through the same thing and are here for support.
While quite young in age for this sudden physical maturity, I felt her anxiety about how to handle this new part of life in the school setting when many of her peers had not yet been introduced to their red-headed aunt.
The solution to lift her burden. Fabric scraps.
I spent half an hour making this pouch to hide the evidence.
It had to be made quickly because the red-headed aunt waits for no one.
Completely concealed ;).
After her week at school I asked her if her little black bag had passed the test. She seemed satisfied and said,
"Yeah, but some people wondered what was inside of it because they heard it crinkle. I told them it was candy."
Beginning the physical maturity of a woman, but keeping the innocence of a child. Where does our innocence go?
;)
