Mary is about four, and last month she made me a memory I pray I never forget.

I only get to see Mary about once a month. One Monday night each month my role as After School Program Tutor expands to babysitter for the parenting classes that Urban Youth Impact offers to the mothers in the community. Instead of working on homework with the kids, or being in a disipline role, this Monday night each month is a chance for me to let my hair down, literally, and have fun with the kids.

Mary and her two sisters were playing with my hair, fighting over who gets how many rubber bands, pulling, tugging, and twisting my hair into an updo that has never, or will ever be seen again. My hair at this point is knotted and knarly, and I am trying to figure out a way to divide my head so that each girl has her own section to work on. I was not successful.

I am trying to control chaos in our little corner of the room, so I give Mary a rubber band and as she is standing right in front of me creating what must have been a masterpiece of my bangs. I whisper to her “Mary, I feel like a princess.”

Mary takes one step back away from me, and with an emphatic tone, and a sort of confused expresion on her face, and toothless smile, tells me “Ohh, but Miss Julie, you IS a princess”.