My Eleventh Girl

It’s a quiet evening in the middle kingdom. Aside from the little girl upstairs tinkering out her daily piano practice to the tune of Nobody Knows the Trouble I Feel.

Tonight as she was getting ready for bed Kathryn says, “Mommy, I’m really interested in electricity now. Because you see how these wires are hanging out? When I touch them… BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ (Just kidding Nana!) …nothing happens. See?”

“Let me see that.” (She’s right. The on/off switch of the night light hangs loosely by its wires. The top part is covered with (name of plastic wire cover stuff), but at the end there is exposed 220V wire.

“Kathryn, I think God was protecting you, because you could have gotten shocked.”

She gasps. Pauses to take it in. I see the wheels turning.

“Mommy, I could have died. I wonder why I didn’t die.”

“I guess God still has reasons for you to be here!”

“Mommy, I think there is a reason I didn’t die. I think He has something really important for me to do here!”

“I’m certain He does!”

“Well, If you’re certain, then what is it?”

“He hasn’t told me what it is.”

“Well, once I know, I think I could write a new chapter in the Ten Girls Who Changed the World book! But then it would be Eleven Girls!"