Somewhere in her almost 14 years, my darling daughter Darby decided her favorite animal was an elephant. She named almost all of her stuffed toy pachyderms "Ellie" or "Phantom." Her Aunt Gayla told me a story once about her taking Darby to the store for groceries. In true Darby fashion, she convinced her Aunt G to "just let me go look at the toys. We don't have to buy anything." Sister said Darby found a cute fluffy elephant, held it up and smiled that beguiling Darby smile. Gayla told her maybe another time, and when recounting the event to me, said, "Y'all don't stand a chance! That little cutie hovered over and around the elephant just hoping I would tell her to go ahead and get it." True to Gayla form, Darby received that little treasure for Christmas a few months later. Push over!
Elephants are known for their memory, intelligence and wisdom. They have no known natural predators, but human poachers rob them of their lives for their tusks. I pray my sweet girl has picked a symbol for herself in the elephant. Darby has already shown us that she is strong and sturdy, a dependable friend and kind soul. I hope for her to be mindful of others, to remember all the love she is given, to use her intelligence for good and to always (or almost always) make wise choices. I beg the world to protect her from predators of all kinds. It's never too much to ask; I hope it's not too much to expect.
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