A little pink plaster

This weekend E got her first splinter! Besides the odd bloody scrape or bump to the head, E has not yet had a major injury. So where some other kid who's constantly in the wars may laugh off a splinter, E did not (alternately though, that other kid would probably cry at the cough E carries around with her these days!). She came running over to show me, it was a big splinter and I was able to pull most of it out, but the rest would have to be removed with a good squeeze, or a pin. I knew she'd hate the idea of a pin being stuck into her finger so while I left her to stand with her finger under the cold running water (makes it numb, you know) I rifled through my meagre sewing kit and was lucky enough to find a pin. Not just a normal pin though - a special splinter removing pin with a pretty red bead on top. Yes, I know it was just a splinter but they're uncomfortable little critters that can be hell to remove. She insisted that a pink plaster be kept ready to be placed on the affected finger. Now that we were ready to 'operate', the finger was numb and the pin was clean, she stood next to me on shaking legs and held her breath for the two seconds it took to whip out the offending piece of wood. 'Plaster, plaster!' she gasped and I had to smile to myself when she let out an audible sigh of relief as the plaster closed over the 'wound'. Minutes later she was fine and proudly showing off her finger. Best I get another box of plasters ready for the first time she takes a real fall off her bicycle...

How great it would be if a little pink plaster could heal all of life's wounds. Our girls have so many heartbreaking moments to experience - first lost toy, first exciting outing spoilt by the weather, first lost race, disloyal friends, lost loves. Their Dad and I will be there every step of the way to help with each hurt, but it won't be as easy placing a plaster over the wound and maybe I'll remember the day when it was so easy to make everything better with the application of a little pink plaster.

Luckily life has it ups and downs and although it may seem that sometimes it's throwing us more than just a curve ball, it does often throw us sunflowers too and the tears they cry over life's hurts will hopefully be less than those they cry at the happy times.