My One Regret

A few years ago, when I was a child…

Hold it.  That’s not true.  It was much more than that.

Okay, I’ll start again.

A million years ago, when I was a child, I wanted to be a ballerina.  I had visions of pink tutus, sparkling tiaras, and the one thing that meant the most to me, that I never got.

My own pair of ballerina slippers.

I wanted these slippers so badly, that I dreamed about them.  They were pink, and shiny.  They had beautiful pink ribbons that danced around my ankles.  And, when I would put them on my little feet, I would rise high above the others and fly…

I never flew.  And, I never got those slippers.  Or, the tutu.  Not even the sparkling tiara.

What I got, was the news that we were going to move to Europe.  My father was in the Air Force, and it was time to move.

Again.

So, off we went to Germany.  I left behind my dreams of ballerina slippers, and said goodbye to Miss Cookie, my teacher and dream giver.

When we got to Germany, there were no ballet classes available.  No pink tutus.  No slippers.  And, not another Miss Cookie in sight.  My dream was over, until we could find another one.

We traveled to Spain.  And, Italy.  We went to France, Switzerland, Austria and Holland.

No sparkling tiaras were found.

We saw gypsies, bullfighters and women in wooden shoes.

But, no one looked, or acted like Miss Cookie.

I saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  I climbed the Eiffel Tower.  I stood in front of the Mona Lisa.

But, there were no tutus anywhere, and no even one pink slipper for my little toes.

This has been, ever since I can remember, my greatest regret.  Because if we had never moved, I would have gotten those slippers.

Hmm..

If I had never seen Rome, I would have that tutu.

If I hadn’t smelled the forests of Germany, I would be wearing that tiara.

Hmmm…

But, if I still knew Miss Cookie, I wouldn’t know my loving husband.  And, I wouldn’t be petting my silly dogs.  Or, laughing with my funny neighbors.

Or living in Apollo.

I wouldn’t be teaching the best kids in the entire world, and would never have met their parents who touch my heart with their wisdom.

I wouldn’t be here, if I had those slippers.

Hmm…

Okay, forget it.  Who needs slippers?  Not me.  It was a silly idea, anyway.

I don’t need ballerina slippers.

Not at all.

Nope.

Not me…