My child. My teacher.

Last night my daughter was the teacher. Her Lesson: Love.

Hailey started a new class last night. Musical Theater. Right up her alley. Unfortunately a couple of girls who have taken musical theater for three years decided to bully Hailey mercilessly. At one point while Hailey was singing, one girl put her hands on her ears and in front of everyone said, "bleccchhhh! She's horrible!" The bullying continued the entire 90 minutes; 45 of which I got to watch via 1 way visible window. I hoped with all of my heart that Hailey didn't notice what they were doing to her. Laughing and talking behind her back. Making gagging faces. Etc. After class was over we barely made it through the doors when my bubbly, bright, thick-skinned little girl burst into tears. It broke my heart and filled me with fury. We spent an hour in the car after class. I talked and explained and listened and comforted. It was awful...and beautiful. I promised Hailey that even though I can't protect her from the world, I will always be there to love her, to kiss her better and to remind her that she is a child of God who created in her a masterpiece.

That night, at prayers, my daughter prayed and completely unbidden, she prayed for the happiness of the girls who had mocked her. As she prayed my eyes filled with tears of awe for the strength of my little one. The last time someone hurt me in a similar fashion I prayed about my broken heart but it took several days before I was able to pray for the person who had wronged me.

I am blessed with her spirit in my home. At education week, Richard and Linda Eyre spoke of seeing your children as they really are: your siblings. This enables you to put them on your level and makes you a better parent. Hailey was certainly the wiser sibling last night as she taught me about love.

As she finished her prayer a scripture came to my mind. I got out my scriptures and read this to Hailey:

3 Nephi

43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy;

44 But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.

I'll never read that scripture in the same way. I'll never forget my little girl's lesson to me. She knows who she is and she knows that God loves her. This love fills her so much that she is able to give of that love freely...even to her enemies...to those that curse her...to those that hate her...to those who despitefully use and persecute her.

Thank you God, for a most amazing child.