JUMPER

She climbed onto the bed her mother and I use to collapse in at the end of every day. She took full advantage of her two-year-old limbs and the loose sheet as a rope to help her over the side until she landed face-first on the mattress. Almost immediately she was on her feet with her arms over her head much like the congratulatory stance one would take after conquering the climb of a tall mountain, then she jumped. She jumped again making sure all ten of her tiny toes left the surface of the bed before crash-landing in the maze of wrinkled linens created by her leaps. She squealed with excitement, a smile took over her face and a laugh rumbled up from her belly… perhaps she’s never been happier than in this moment. Maybe the same is true for me.