by Andilyn Jenkins
“Ya know, I’ve never found a four-leaf clover. And I’ve looked,” I remarked to Aaron as I pictured myself at ten combing through clover patches in the park around the corner from my house.
“Ya know, I’ve never found a four-leaf clover. And I’ve looked,” I remarked to Aaron as I pictured myself at ten combing through clover patches in the park around the corner from my house.
“That’s because they don’t exist,” Aaron replied
matter-of-factly.
“Oh. Are you sure? I mean, they would be a mutation. ‘Cause
clovers should only have three leaves. But mutations exist,” I asserted,
leaving X-Men intentionally out of my support case.
“Good point. I don’t know. I’ve never seen one,” Aaron
swayed.
“Me either. I guess that’s why they’re lucky,” I reasoned.
In the Redwood Forest admiring the gigantic trees dusting
the clouds from the sky, Aaron and I shuffled along the tourists’ dirt path.
Thick patches of clovers blanketed the forest floor, so I scanned their ranks to
pass the time while the kids squealed, raced, climbed, and tripped around us.
“Wait. Is that a four-leaf clover?” Right next to the edge
of the path, the clover waved up at me. Its fourth leaf was tucked behind one
of the other leaves just enough that I couldn’t be sure until I plucked it from
the ranks. I held the stem in one hand and fanned apart the heart-shaped leaves
with my fingers. One. Two. Three. Four.
“Aaron, it’s like the clovers heard us talking and rewarded
me for believing in them,” I giggled.
“Well then, leprechauns are definitely real,” Aaron teased,
darting his eyes around the Redwood roots. And in that moment, I felt like I
pinched faith from a two-year-old. I looked inward and saw a child hugging her
good-luck charm, believing in leprechauns, magic, and eaves-dropping clovers.
My luck didn’t exactly change. My baby still woke up in the
middle of the night. I still stubbed my little toe on the kitchen counter—twice.
I still gained four pounds after eating
nothing but pies, cinnamon rolls, Costco muffins, and homemade vanilla ice
cream for a week (go figure).
But for the rest of our vacation, I always said yes to ice
cream with fresh peaches. I sat on the floor just to snuggle the dogs. I played
with my daughter’s princess sticker book while she napped.
And I felt pretty lucky.
What a delightful post! Thanks for this smile today. As a child, I spent many hours searching for four leaf clovers. I even found a few. Thanks for bringing back that sweet memory. hugs~
ReplyDeleteLucky in the things that count.
ReplyDelete