Our sweet girl received her name in honor of two things--the
hometown of my husband’s much beloved Carolina Panthers (Charlotte ,
NC ) and in a nod to one of my favorite
childhood tales, “Charlotte ’s
Web”. It’s a tale of bravery and courage
and never giving up even when things look their bleakest. It’s been a joy to introduce it to our
children, though I confess, mostly they know the story from the movie version
that Oprah Winfrey produced a few years back.
In fact, we were watching that movie in the car on the way to the
ultrasound appointment that told us that our sweet Charlotte was a healthy and thriving little
girl. So, you can see why it has become
ever more special to me over the years.
Last night after we got home, Charlotte requested I turn “her movie” on
while I was getting dinner ready for the rest of the family. I’ve seen “her movie” so many times that I
often don’t sit and pay much attention, but last night I found myself swept
away by the story and as usual, I shed a
few tears at the loss of Charlotte the great.
My own Charlotte
looked back up at me and noticing my tears, she laid her head on my chest and
said, “Mama, you know this isn’t the end.”
Time stood still.
That may be the wisest thing I’ve ever heard. Yes, in that
moment of sadness, the tears were flowing.
But, the wisdom of a child knew that happiness was just around the
corner. Indeed, this was not the
end. Charlotte ’s babies would go on to bless the
lives of all that knew them. The animals
that lived in that barn together would grow stronger in their friendship
because of her life. And perhaps the
greatest miracle of all, a spring pig would go on to see the first flakes of
snow in winter.
My friends, no matter where you’re at in your walk today—this
is not the end. No matter how dark, how
low, how lost you may feel—your story isn’t finished. And you, as the writer, have the power to turn
the next page. Joy comes in the
morning. Sometimes it comes later than
you would have liked, but for the most part, it always shows up. But, just as Charlotte knew in that
moment, we had to get through the tears to see the happily ever after. The heart of a “radiant” little girl
knew. In our times of greatest sadness,
this is not the end.
Forget “Some pig”, how about, “Some girl”.
