A Very Brave little Girl…..I have four daughters. They are all so dear to me. Gina is my eldest and Jill, Janelle’and JoAnna follow along more or less at two year intervals.One day many years ago when Gina was about nine we all went swimming in a friend’s pool.
Somehow Gina had gotten terrified of the water. The other girls were playing noisily and splashing each other. All Gina could manage was to sit on the first step a few inches into the pool.
I watched her and saw she was miserable. She was ashamed and longed to be playing with her little sisters. I sat down with her for awhile and loved and comforted her. I did not say anything about her fear of water. In a few minutes we were chatting like we usually did. Then I went and played for little while with her sisters.
When I looked back at Gina she had moved one step down further into the water. I was so touched by her She was trembling and obviously terrified. I want back to her and did not mention her courageousness or where she was now sitting. She gradually quieted down. I think she knew there was nothing to fear with me right by her side. As the summer passed she lost her fear and enjoyed swimming.
This day as I am writing this I have felt that her move down one step into the pool was the bravest thing I have ever seen. She got comfortable just because I sat down with her. I feel moved just thinking about it.
In World ll, Audie Murphy was a soldier in Europe. The men he was with were pinned down by machine gun fire, The Germans were gradually moving in a way that would allow them to kill the group with Audie. Audie charged the machine gun nest and managed to wipe it the nest. Because of what he did he won The Congressional Medal of Honor, the countries highest medal.
Years later, when he was a famous movie star he was asked if when he charged the machine gun he was afraid. He was surprised by the question, He soon said ” Of course I was terrified! Do you think I am crazy. It was just something I had to to save my friends”,
Gina moved further into the pool in the face of horrible fear. Today all these years later she still does all that she needs to do afraid or not. I wish all my friends could meet her. They would love and respect,, her as I do.
George Caywood 