I had every intention of making it the best day of my whole life. Indeed, it was.
However, it was not the vows, the champagne, or the stunning arch that was draped in white flowers that served to make it a memorable experience.
No, it was Grace.
A girl called Grace, who is eight years old, is the daughter of my fiance, Lucas. I really loved her from the time we first met. At first, she was a bit reserved, and her demeanor was calm and serious, which gave the impression that she was much older than her actual age. Gaining her trust was a process that took some time, but it was time well spent.
While I was painting my nails, she would sit next to me on the sofa and observe me in silence. Occasionally, she would bend her head and ask questions in that kind, inquisitive voice that children use when they are trying to comprehend something new.
“Miss Julia” was the name she used to refer to me for the first half year. At that moment, she grasped my hand in the afternoon, looked up at me with eyes that were big and full of sincerity, and said, “May I call you Mama-Jules?”
The moment my heart burst into a thousand pieces was that moment.
After Lucas and I made the decision to be married, I was aware that our wedding would not be about the two of us alone; rather, it would be about the three of us establishing a family.
I made certain that Grace was involved in everything that was going on. She chose her own flower girl attire, which was a light pink gown with layers of shimmering tulle that shimmered as she twirled. I was able to choose the flowers for the centerpieces with her assistance. While we were eating the cakes, we came up with a ridiculous handshake. Her joy and enthusiasm were something that could be heard in every single moment leading up to the big day.
However, there was one single item that I could not comprehend.
In the morning of the wedding, Grace showed up wearing a winter hat that she had crocheted herself.
It was a powder blue color, constructed from thick yarn, and had two pom-poms that were so large that they drooped like ears that were floppy. There was no way that it would go with her clothing, the spring garden setting, or even the bright day in May.
My attention was instantly drawn to it as soon as she and Lucas got out of the vehicle. With a grin on my face, I lowered myself to her level.
“Hey, sweet pea,” I said to her. “That is quite the hat that you have at your disposal.”
A slight and solemn nod was given by her. It’s necessary to do so.
I couldn’t help but look over at Lucas, who gave me a little shake of his head and told me not to pursue it.
Thus, I did not. Kids are known to engage in peculiar behaviors. It’s possible that it was something she had a strong attachment to, like a comfort blanket. It’s possible that it was a present from a really particular person. My goal was to avoid making her feel awkward since I didn’t want to ruin the day.
The ceremony went off without a hitch. My dress shone in the sunshine, Lucas stared at me like I was his whole universe, and Grace stood firmly behind us, holding her flower basket with the elegance of a knight protecting something valuable.
But she continued to wear the cap.
It remained in place during the whole ceremony, including the vows, all of the photographs, supper, and even when she was dancing with the other children.
The moment that I shall never forget arrived at that point.
Just now, the band had completed performing a slow tune that was romantic in nature. The room was completely filled with the sound of laughing and the gentle clinking of glasses. Instantaneously, Grace made her way to the middle of the room, where she was standing by herself, clutching something little in her hands.
As more people turned their attention to her, the noise subsided.
The sweetheart table was where Lucas and I were sitting at the time. When I looked over, I noticed her approaching us with her eyes set on me and her little steps moving with determination.
She spoke in a voice that was remarkably clear and said, “I have a present for you.”
As I smiled and started, I said, “Oh, sweetheart.” There was no need for you to—”
When I was about to finish, she removed the hat off her head.
It appeared as if everyone in the room took a deep breath at the same time.
She had lost her long hair, which was honey-colored. She had sliced off the majority of it, but not in a casual or uneven manner; rather, she had done it with care, as if someone had assisted her in making it tidy.
In addition, she had a bundle of that hair in her hands, which was secured with a silver ribbon linked together.
As she placed it on my lap, she spoke the simple phrase, “For you.”
I was attempting to comprehend her as I gazed at her.
A little tremor could be felt as Lucas’s hand touched mine. There was a gleam in his eyes. “She wanted to give you the most special gift she could,” he said. “She wanted to give you…” The previous month, she inquired about what she could offer you that would be exclusively hers, something that she would never be able to lose or break.
Grace glanced up at me with a genuine and open expression on her face. Her words were, “You are going to be my mother from now on.” “I wanted to convey to you a little of who I am. Something substantial”
My throat became so constricted that I could hardly take a breath on my own. It was too late for me to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks.
The room was perfectly quiet all around us. People from all walks of life were seeing this little girl as she presented a portion of herself to the lady who was going to marry her father.
As I bent down, I closed my hands over her face and cradled it. “This,” I remarked, my voice shaking, “is the most beautiful gift that anyone has ever given me,” I expressed my sentiments. I shall always have fond memories of it.
She glanced at me with the timidity that she always displays for a little while. After that, she broke out in a broad, radiant grin that caused her eyes to wrinkle and her cheeks to blush.
The room was filled with applause, but it was not a boisterous shouting crowd; rather, it was a quiet, genuine clapping. Each and every person was aware that they had seen something holy.
A performance was not what it was. It was not about wanting to be noticed.
Simply put, it was love.
Later on that evening, when the event was winding down, Lucas embraced me under the fairy lights that were strung among the trees. A peek across the lawn revealed that Grace was engaged in a game of tag with her cousins, but she had forgotten to bring her blue hat.
A hushed voice said, “She is astonishing.”
“She is now yours as well,” Lucas murmured as he planted a kiss on my forehead.
And despite the fact that the whole wedding had been stunning, it was Grace’s gift—her trust, her bravery, and her heart—that made it an experience that will never be forgotten.
Because there are instances when love does not arrive in the form of flowers or diamonds shining brightly before you. On occasion, it is a little girl wearing a knitted cap who is bearing the most altruistic gift that the whole world has ever seen.
Since that day, Grace and I have been inseparable from that point on. We were always close, but that particular event brought us closer together in a manner that cannot be adequately described using words. It was not just her hair that she had given to me; she had also given me her heart.
However, it was not the end of our tale.
Even after a few weeks had passed, Lucas and I were still discussing that particular moment when we were sitting on the porch and watching the sunset.
“You know,” he continued with a contemplative tone, “maybe we ought to do something more significant with what she did.”
Instantaneously, I gave a nod. The same as establishing a foundation. It would be possible for us to create wigs for individuals who have lost their hair, particularly children who are undergoing treatment or who have alopecia. Something that lets individuals enjoy the sensation of being liked and lovely.
Suddenly, Grace, who had been lying on the sofa with her coloring book in her hands, became enthusiastic. “Am I able to be of assistance?” she inquired. In the same way that I made you happy, Mom, I want to make other people happy as well.
The Love Wig Foundation was established as a result of this event.
Over time, grace evolved into the very essence of it. She participated in the selection of designs for wigs, wrote little remarks to accompany each one (such “So you can smile when you wear this,” which she would write in block letters with great care), and gave speeches at events to explain why she was so enthusiastic about the initiative.
Despite the fact that she was only eight years old, she had already grasped the concept many others spend their whole lives attempting to learn: genuine love is about giving without expecting anything in return.
After a number of years had passed, Grace, who was then a teenager, gave me a bear embrace before she took the stage at one of the events that our charity hosted. When she got near to her mother, she said, “See, Mom? Believe me when I say that love makes everything better.
Exactly at that moment, I recalled once again the reasons why she was and would continue to be the most wonderful present I had ever been given.