sometimes most times

when things are

at their most

difficult, madeline is

there to

distract me. remind me

just how happy

i can be.

and she does this

just by growing up.

today, she sat

silently mostly quietly

on my lap in

a theater in hollywood

as we watched

a movie.

there was a little

talking, but mostly

it was laughing

at the right times

(indicating that she either gets the jokes or she laughs when others laugh, either way it’s a good sign).

then on the way

home we crossed

a major potty-training milestone

(i’ll spare everyone the details in an attempt to not embarrass future madeline)

and i couldn’t

have been any

prouder of my

little big girl.

today, as i smiled

in that theater,

as i cheered

her latest accomplishment,

i realized that

no matter

how hard things

have been,

no matter

how hard things are,

no matter

how hard things become,

she has been,

she is,

she will be the

reminder that something

great is just

around the corner.