Two days later, and I’m still mulling over the depth of this conversation with a very wise 6-year-old (my granddaughter). We had just spent the weekend with family in Chicago and were waiting to meet up with her parents for lunch.

Me: Alayna, I want to thank you again for being so helpful while my leg heals from surgery.

Her: Of course, Grandma. You know, IT DOES take 4 arms and 4 legs for someone to recover.

Me: Wait, what? What do you mean…?

Her: OK, well. First, there’s the 2 arms and 2 legs of the person who needs to get stronger…and then there’s the 2 arms and 2 legs of the person who is helping her do things. That makes 4 arms and 4 legs. That’s how a person recovers!

My thanks to Jerry & Melissa (her parents) for teaching her such compassion and love. Although Alayna says she just “thought up” the 4-hands-and-4-feet recovery idea, I know the role-modeling came from them.