(ME, OBVIOUSLY)
THE SCREEN DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND HER,
STIRRING UP ALL THE DIRT AND DUST
FROM THE HOT ARIZONA DESERT.
ALL OF THAT MUCK
ALWAYS SEEMED TO FLY
INTO HER SMALL GREEN EYES.
SHE WONDERED
IF THAT'S WHY EVERYONE IN HER FAMILY
CALLED HER A GIANT.
HER GREEN EYES
SHE MEANT.
BUT IT WAS PROBABLY HER VERY LONG LEGS
AND THE FACT
THAT SHE WAS ONLY 12 AND WAS
ALREADY ALMOST SIX FEET IN LENGTH.
SHE HATED BEING SO TALL
BECAUSE NOTHING EVER FIT,
AND SHE COULD NEVER FIND PRETTY SHOES
BECAUSE HER FEET WERE SO BIG.
AND ALL THE CUTE BOYS HER AGE
WERE SO SHORT AND SMUG.
PLUS HER TEACHERS WERE ALWAYS CALLING ON HER
TO DO THIS OR THAT
BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO SMALL
AND FLUTTERY,
KINDA LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD.
THE SCREEN DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND HER,
STIRRING UP ALL THE DIRT AND DUST
FROM THE HOT ARIZONA DESERT.
ALL OF THAT MUCK
ALWAYS SEEMED TO FLY
INTO HER SMALL GREEN EYES.
SHE WONDERED
IF THAT'S WHY EVERYONE IN HER FAMILY
CALLED HER A GIANT.
HER GREEN EYES
SHE MEANT.
BUT IT WAS PROBABLY HER VERY LONG LEGS
AND THE FACT
THAT SHE WAS ONLY 12 AND WAS
ALREADY ALMOST SIX FEET IN LENGTH.
SHE HATED BEING SO TALL
BECAUSE NOTHING EVER FIT,
AND SHE COULD NEVER FIND PRETTY SHOES
BECAUSE HER FEET WERE SO BIG.
AND ALL THE CUTE BOYS HER AGE
WERE SO SHORT AND SMUG.
PLUS HER TEACHERS WERE ALWAYS CALLING ON HER
TO DO THIS OR THAT
BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO SMALL
AND FLUTTERY,
KINDA LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD.
AND THEN THERE WERE THE NAMES.
DADDY LONG LEGS WAS THE WORST.
THEY CALLED HER THIS BECAUSE
HER LEGS WERE SO LONG
AND HER FEET WERE SO BIG
AND DADDY LONG LONG SPIDERS LIVED
EVERYWHERE IN THE ARIZONA DESERT.
HER LEGS WERE SO LONG
THAT IT WAS JUST EASIER TO WEAR SHORTS
ALL THE TIME
RATHER THAN TO TRY
TO BUY
PANTS.
THE PANTS NEVER FIT.
SHE GUESSED IT WAS A GOOD THING
THAT SHE LIVED WHERE IT WAS HOT
MOST OF THE TIME,
EVEN DURING CHRISTMAS.
IT WAS SO HOT
THAT EVEN THE FROGS
WOULD GO SWIMMING WITH HER
IN THE DITCHES.
DADDY LONG LEGS WAS THE WORST.
THEY CALLED HER THIS BECAUSE
HER LEGS WERE SO LONG
AND HER FEET WERE SO BIG
AND DADDY LONG LONG SPIDERS LIVED
EVERYWHERE IN THE ARIZONA DESERT.
HER LEGS WERE SO LONG
THAT IT WAS JUST EASIER TO WEAR SHORTS
ALL THE TIME
RATHER THAN TO TRY
TO BUY
PANTS.
THE PANTS NEVER FIT.
SHE GUESSED IT WAS A GOOD THING
THAT SHE LIVED WHERE IT WAS HOT
MOST OF THE TIME,
EVEN DURING CHRISTMAS.
IT WAS SO HOT
THAT EVEN THE FROGS
WOULD GO SWIMMING WITH HER
IN THE DITCHES.
WHY DID SHE HAVE TO BE SO TALL, SHE OFTEN WONDERED.
ALL OF HER COUSINS WERE PETITE AND SMALL AND GIRLY
AND HAD PRETTY STRAIGHT HAIR
INSTEAD OF SO CURLY.
SHE WAS SO TALL AND THIN
THAT MOST OF THE TIME
PEOPLE MISTOOK HER FOR A BOY.
BUT SHE FELT SO GIRLY ON THE INSIDE.
LIFE JUST WASN'T FAIR.
AND SHE WISHED THERE WAS A MAGIC WAND
SHE COULD WAVE OVER HER HAIR.
IT WAS RED AND SHORT AND CURLY,
STREAKED WITH BLOND
FROM THE HOT ARIZONA SUN.
SHE WISHED SO MUCH HER HAIR WAS LONG AND STRAIGHT
THAT MOST NIGHTS SHE WOULD PRAY
AND THEN PULL ON HER HEAD
HOPING THAT WOULD HELP.
BUT IT WOULD JUST MAKE HER YELP.
AND HAD PRETTY STRAIGHT HAIR
INSTEAD OF SO CURLY.
SHE WAS SO TALL AND THIN
THAT MOST OF THE TIME
PEOPLE MISTOOK HER FOR A BOY.
BUT SHE FELT SO GIRLY ON THE INSIDE.
LIFE JUST WASN'T FAIR.
AND SHE WISHED THERE WAS A MAGIC WAND
SHE COULD WAVE OVER HER HAIR.
IT WAS RED AND SHORT AND CURLY,
STREAKED WITH BLOND
FROM THE HOT ARIZONA SUN.
SHE WISHED SO MUCH HER HAIR WAS LONG AND STRAIGHT
THAT MOST NIGHTS SHE WOULD PRAY
AND THEN PULL ON HER HEAD
HOPING THAT WOULD HELP.
BUT IT WOULD JUST MAKE HER YELP.
BEING SUCH A GIANT WASN'T HER ONLY PROBLEM.
HER PARENTS WERE ALWAYS FIGHTING.
IT WAS QUIET NOW,
BUT THAT WAS
'CUZ
HER DADDY WASN'T THERE.
HE HAD LEFT AGAIN,
FOR ABOUT THE THOUSANDTH TIME.
SHE MISSED HIM AND ALL,
BUT IT WAS FINE WITH HER
BECAUSE SHE GOT REALLY SCARED
WHEN HER MOM AND DAD WERE FIGHTING,
SO SCARED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE
TO FIND A PLACE TO HIDE.
THAT'S WHY SHE LOVED SO MUCH TO GO VISIT HER GRANDADDY ON HIS COTTON FARM.
SHE COULD SWIM IN THE DITCH ALL DAY LONG
IF SHE WANTED, ALL BY HERSELF,
AND NO ONE BOTHERED HER.
HER PARENTS WERE ALWAYS FIGHTING.
IT WAS QUIET NOW,
BUT THAT WAS
'CUZ
HER DADDY WASN'T THERE.
HE HAD LEFT AGAIN,
FOR ABOUT THE THOUSANDTH TIME.
SHE MISSED HIM AND ALL,
BUT IT WAS FINE WITH HER
BECAUSE SHE GOT REALLY SCARED
WHEN HER MOM AND DAD WERE FIGHTING,
SO SCARED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE
TO FIND A PLACE TO HIDE.
THAT'S WHY SHE LOVED SO MUCH TO GO VISIT HER GRANDADDY ON HIS COTTON FARM.
SHE COULD SWIM IN THE DITCH ALL DAY LONG
IF SHE WANTED, ALL BY HERSELF,
AND NO ONE BOTHERED HER.
SHE PREFERRED TO STAY AWAY FROM HER UNCLE, WHO WAS MORE LIKE A BROTHER, AND HER SISTER,
WHO WERE ALWAYS ON THE FARM WITH HER
BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS SO MEAN,
TEASING HER ALL THE TIME
FOR THINGS SHE COULDN'T HELP,
LIKE HER LONG LEGS AND BIG FEET.
THEY WOULD EVEN CALL HER A SCARECROW.
WHO WERE ALWAYS ON THE FARM WITH HER
BECAUSE THEY WERE ALWAYS SO MEAN,
TEASING HER ALL THE TIME
FOR THINGS SHE COULDN'T HELP,
LIKE HER LONG LEGS AND BIG FEET.
THEY WOULD EVEN CALL HER A SCARECROW.
WOULD THERE EVER BE A TIME
WHEN SHE WOULDN'T FEEL LIKE SHE NEEDED TO GO HIDE
ON THE ROOF
OR IN HER FORT INSIDE
THE GROVE OF COTTONWOOD TREES?
THAT SEEMED LIKE THE ONLY TIME SHE HAD ANY PEACE IN HER HEART
AND WASN'T A PART
OF THE SCREAMING AND YELLING.
SHE WOULD BRING HER BIBLE WITH HER, THE ONE HER MOTHER HAD GIVEN HER WHEN SHE WENT TO CHURCH CAMP FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN SHE WAS FIVE.
THAT'S WHEN SHE FIRST FOUND JESUS.
INSIDE THE GROVE OF TREES
SHE COULD READ
TO HER HEART'S CONTENT, AND PRAY.
SHE LOVED TO READ, BUT SHE LOVED TO TALK TO GOD EVEN MORE.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO UNDERSTOOD HOW IT FELT TO BE SO DIFFERENT.
WHEN SHE WOULDN'T FEEL LIKE SHE NEEDED TO GO HIDE
ON THE ROOF
OR IN HER FORT INSIDE
THE GROVE OF COTTONWOOD TREES?
THAT SEEMED LIKE THE ONLY TIME SHE HAD ANY PEACE IN HER HEART
AND WASN'T A PART
OF THE SCREAMING AND YELLING.
SHE WOULD BRING HER BIBLE WITH HER, THE ONE HER MOTHER HAD GIVEN HER WHEN SHE WENT TO CHURCH CAMP FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN SHE WAS FIVE.
THAT'S WHEN SHE FIRST FOUND JESUS.
INSIDE THE GROVE OF TREES
SHE COULD READ
TO HER HEART'S CONTENT, AND PRAY.
SHE LOVED TO READ, BUT SHE LOVED TO TALK TO GOD EVEN MORE.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO UNDERSTOOD HOW IT FELT TO BE SO DIFFERENT.
SHE JUST WANTED TO BLEND IN SO MUCH THAT HER HEART ACHED.
BUT IT WAS HARD TO BLEND IN
WHEN YOU WERE FIVE FOOT TEN.
BUT IT WAS HARD TO BLEND IN
WHEN YOU WERE FIVE FOOT TEN.
MAYBE ONE DAY SHE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE IN HER BODY AND BE OKAY WITH BEING SO TALL.
IF SHE KNEW BACK THEN
THAT IT WOULD TAKE ALMOST SIXTY YEARS TO FEEL OKAY IN HER OWN SKIN,
WELL,
MERCY,
THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FUN AT ALL.
IF SHE KNEW BACK THEN
THAT IT WOULD TAKE ALMOST SIXTY YEARS TO FEEL OKAY IN HER OWN SKIN,
WELL,
MERCY,
THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FUN AT ALL.
BUT GOD KNEW,
AND GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HER LIFE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,
EVEN WHEN SHE WAS IN HER MOTHER'S TUMMY.
THAT SEEMED A LITTLE FUNNY,
BUT SHE KNEW IT WAS TRUE,
JUST LIKE SHE KNEW THAT JESUS LOVED HER.
AND GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HER LIFE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,
EVEN WHEN SHE WAS IN HER MOTHER'S TUMMY.
THAT SEEMED A LITTLE FUNNY,
BUT SHE KNEW IT WAS TRUE,
JUST LIKE SHE KNEW THAT JESUS LOVED HER.
AND JESUS LOVES YOU TOO.
NO MATTER HOW TALL
OR SMALL
YOU ARE, OR HOW SHORT OR LONG YOUR HAIR IS, YOU ARE MADE
JUST THE WAY YOU WERE MEANT TO BE MADE.
AND GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.
READ HIS WORD IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.
NO MATTER HOW TALL
OR SMALL
YOU ARE, OR HOW SHORT OR LONG YOUR HAIR IS, YOU ARE MADE
JUST THE WAY YOU WERE MEANT TO BE MADE.
AND GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.
READ HIS WORD IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.
LOVE, FROM THE GENTLE GIANT, AKA SUNSHINE.
