'
shewassixyearsoldwhenifirstmetheronthebeachnearwhereilive.idrivetothisbeach,adistanceofthreeorfourmiles,whenevertheworldbeginstocloseinonme.shewasbuildingasandcastleorsomethingandlookedup,hereyesasblueasthesea.
"hello,"shesaid.iansweredwithanod,notreallyinthemoodtobotherwithasmallchild."i'mbuilding,"shesaid.
"iseethat.whatisit?"iasked,notcaring.
"oh,idon'tknow,ijustlikethefeelofsand.
"thatsoundsgood,ithought,andslippedoffmyshoes.asandpiperglidedby.
"that'sajoy,"thechildsaid.
"it'sawhat?"
"it'sajoy.mymamasayssandpiperscometobringusjoy."thebirdwentglissadingdownthebeach."good-byejoy,"imutteredtomyself,"hellopain,"andturnedtowalkon.iwasdepressed;mylifeseemedcompletelyoutofbalance.
"what'syourname?"shewouldn'tgiveup.
"ruth,"ianswered."i'mruthpeterson."
"mine'swendy...i'msix."
"hi,wendy."
shegiggled."you'refunny,"shesaid.inspiteofmygloomilaughedtooandwalkedon.hermusicalgigglefollowedme.
"comeagain,mrs.p,"shecalled."we'llhaveanotherhappyday."
thedaysandweeksthatfollowedbelongtoothers:agroupofunrulyboyscouts,ptameetings,andailingmother.thesunwasshiningonemorningasitookmyhandsoutofthedishwater."ineedasandpiper,"isaidtomyself,gatheringupmycoat.theever-changingbalmoftheseashoreawaitedme.
thebreezewaschilly,butistrodealong,tryingtorecapturetheserenityineeded.ihadforgottenthechildandwasstartledwhensheappeared.
"hello,mrs.p,"shesaid."doyouwanttoplay?"
"whatdidyouhaveinmind?"iasked,withatwingeofannoyance.
"idon'tknow,yousay."
"howaboutcharades?"iaskedsarcastically.
thetinklinglaughterburstforthagain."idon'tknowwhatthatis."
"thenlet'sjustwalk."lookingather,inoticedthedelicatefairness
ofherface."wheredoyoulive?"iasked.
"overthere."shepointedtowardarowofsummercottages.strange,ithought,inwinter.
"wheredoyougotoschool?"
"idon'tgotoschool.mommysayswe'reonvacation."shechatteredlittlegirltalkaswestrolledupthebeach,butmymindwasonotherthings.whenileftforhome,wendysaidithadbeenahappyday.
feelingsurprisinglybetter,ismiledatherandagreed.threeweekslater,irushedtomybeachinastateofnearpanic.iwasinnomoodtoevengreetwendy.ithoughtisawhermotherontheporchandfeltlikedemandingshekeepherchildathome.
"look,ifyoudon'tmind,"isaidcrosslywhenwendycaughtupwithme,"i'dratherbealonetoday."
sheseemsunusuallypaleandoutofbreath.
"why?"sheasked.
iturnedtoherandshouted,"becausemymotherdied!"andthought,mygod,whywasisayingthistoalittlechild?
"oh,"shesaidquietly,"thenthisisabadday."
"yes,andyesterdayandthedaybeforeand-oh,goaway!"
"didithurt?"
"didwhathurt?"iwasexasperatedwithher,withmyself.
"whenshedied?""ofcourseithurt!"isnapped,misunderstanding,wrappedupinmyself.istrodeoff.
amonthorsoafterthat,wheninextwenttothebeach,shewasn'tthere.feelingguilty,ashamedandadmittingtomyselfimissedher,iwentuptothecottageaftermywalkandknockedatthedoor.adrawnlookingyoungwomanwithhoney-coloredhairopenedthedoor.
"hello,"isaid."i'mruthpeterson.imissedyourlittlegirltodayandwonderedwhereshewas."
"ohyes,mrs.peterson,pleasecomein""wendytalkedofyousomuch.
i'mafraidiallowedhertobotheryou.ifshewasanuisance,please,acceptmyapologies."
"notatall-she'sadelightfulchild,"isaid,suddenlyrealizingthatimeantit."whereisshe?"
"wendydiedlastweek,mrs.peterson.shehadleukemia.maybeshedidn'ttellyou."struckdumb,igropedforachair.mybreathcaught.
"shelovedthisbeach;sowhensheaskedtocome,wecouldn'tsayno.
sheseemedsomuchbetterhereandhadalotofwhatshecalledhappydays.butthelastfewweeks,shedeclinedrapidly..."hervoicefaltered.
"sheleftsomethingforyou...ifonlyicanfindit.couldyouwaitamomentwhileilook?"
inoddedstupidly,mymindracingforsomething,anything,tosaytothislovelyyoungwoman.shehandedmeasmearedenvelope,withmrs.pprintedinbold,childishletters.insidewasadrawinginbrightcrayonhues-ayellowbeach,abluesea,andabrownbird.underneathwascarefullyprinted:asandpipertobringyoujoy
tearswelledupinmyeyes,andaheartthathadalmostforgottentoloveopenedwide.itookwendy'smotherinmyarms."i'msosorry,i'msorry,i'msosorry,"imutteredoverandover,andwewepttogether.
thepreciouslittlepictureisframednowandhangsinmystudy.sixwords-oneforeachyearofherlife-thatspeaktomeofharmony,courage,undemandinglove.agiftfromachildwithsea-blueeyesandhairthecolorsand---whotaughtmethegiftoflove.