One Tough Ticket to Girl World

Girl World is a lot like Disney World- absolutely dazzling, absolutely fabulous, and absolutely a nightmare.

I was not ready to navigate this trip.  Nope.  No SPF for this stuff.

Step right up for the Rides of Your Life Ladies: 

Fashion Whirl, Splash Insults Mountain, Big Thunder of Emotions, and Cliques of the Caribbean. 

I find it funny because I took the trip myself in the 80s/ 90s but I thought the park had gotten cleaned up since I last left.   Aren't kids more progressive today?

My inner mean girl of yesteryear has come back at The Haunted Mansion.  Can I slap my 12 year old self away please?

I was not ready to enter this world so quickly.

Aren't we too young to ride these rides? Quick, someone bring me an emotional measuring stick!! 

I was not ready for a 4 year old to tell me she couldn't wear her brand new, sparkly shoes because a friend thought they were "ugly".

I was not ready for such anger toward a girl because she wore blue hair.

I was not ready to overhear little girls say 'I have a fat belly' because someone said so on the playground.

I was not ready for my daughter to be punished by peers for her processing speed because she didn't say hello fast enough or because she was confused by the unwritten "social rules" or even because she said something mean she overheard....

I was not ready for my child to desire a selfie by age 7.

I was not ready to think I did something wrong.

I was not ready to have to teach- we do NOT "group" up.

I was not ready for territorial friendships. 

I was not ready to be tortured with the thought-  'are we also making girls feel bad and don't know it?'

I was not ready for my gal to see "groups" she isn't a part of  (I miss the darn rotary phone).

I was not ready for these girls to internalize feelings and carry the burdens.

I was not ready to hurt so much too.

I was not ready to hear 'I don't know how to make friends'. 

I was not ready to hear about girls across this nation who are bullied and victimized at an alarming rate thanks to the same technology they have to master/ utilize to survive in this world. 

I was not ready for this trip.

It's like I'm this lost soul desperately holding onto a ticket that just hangs from my hand while I stand in the middle of Times Square of Girl World.  How do all these other people have Fast Passes?  What do they know that I don't?  

They must have like 7 girls and visit this place all the time.

The grasp on my ticket gives me false hope and some comfort.  I have the ticket but if I lose this ticket- I'm not going to be able to protect my daughter on the rides.   

I'm a goner.   I'm a lost goner.

Am I strong enough to hand this ticket over to God?  

I'm not sure but I know other people will pray that I am strong enough.

Pray to always show grace and kindness.

Pray that I model forgiveness in anger...

in pride...

and in understanding.

Pray that we learn to enjoy the rides that give us lessons that are both good and not so good.

Pray that I can apply the lessons I learned in my youth.

Pray that my daughter is blessed like me to find the rare coins that are so much more valuable than 10000 pennies.

Pray that she sees the beauty of lasting friendships who love her for her.

Pray that she never caves to the pressure of worldly behavior.

Pray I survive the teen years because I can see that this Girl World has some rides with really longggggggg lines in 110 degree heat while other people throw up on you.  

I never was any good at waiting in line.