Lessons from Zoey, Pt. 3

She laughed again and got out her things. We spent the remainder of the sunlight working, finishing most of our homework. Then Zoey stood up on her tiptoes and looked out of the window. Her hazel eyes widened and twinkled.
“Ben! Let’s climb down and watch the sunset! It looks beautiful!”
We climbed down to the bottom of the tree and looked out on the horizon. She was right! The sun was slowly descending, a bright orange orb in the sky surrounded by fluffy, white cushions sparked with reds and violets and pinks.
As we watched the sunset, I was taken back to a time in our past when we always watched the sunset together. I could see little nine year old Zoey now, running across the field from her house to mine.
“Benny! Benny, come out! The sun’s going home now! We have to say goodbye!”
I dashed out of my room and through the front door. She grabbed my hand immediately and took off running, nearly dragging me along behind her. The little red dress she always loved to wear swished about her little tanned legs as she ran, barefoot as usual.
We finally arrived at the top of a hillock at the edge of our property. Zoey grinned and fell backward, scattering dandelions about her. She lay in the grass and looked up at the sky. I sat down next to her and hugged my knees to my chest. After a little bit, she sat up and pointed to the clouds.
“You know what those are, Benny?”
I nodded. “Duh, Zo! Those are clouds!”
She giggled and shook her head. “No, look past that. Think! They are cushions for the sun! They keep him comfortable so he can sleep well! Don’t you always sleep better when your momma tucks you in at night?”
I scratched at a little scab on my leg. “Well, yeah…”
She stood up quickly and spread her arms wide in the air, as if the sky were an exhibit and she was displaying it for the world to see.
“That’s what the clouds do for Sunny! They tuck him in so he can sleep better!”
I smiled at the memory. I turned my head just a little and watched her now. She just stared up at the sun, eyes wide and practically glowing, her face split in a huge, delighted grin. This was Zoey, the little seventeen year old wise woman. The sky was the limit for her. She used to tell me, “life should be lived to the fullest. Who cares if there’s a chance you can’t do something? Dream it anyway! A pilot does not think of landing before he takes off, he thinks of flying high!”
The sun finally fell behind the mountains, casting the world in darkness. Zoey gave me one last word of wisdom before going home.
“Don’t lose hope, Ben,” she said. “I am going to die, but I will always live…” Here, she lay her hand gently over my heart and smiled. “I will always live in here.”