Sprite

With all the stuff going on in life, my vacation, other dramas - this is what I feel like writing about.

TLC.

I tend to avoid the overactive-uterus genre on TLC (the Gosselins,the Duggars) but then I really like What Not to Wear and Miami Ink, but on the other hand, you have Toddlers & Tiaras...

Anyway, the other night I watched Growing Up Tiny: Kenadie's Story.

I fell for this kid, hard.

She has primordial dwarfism.  Whaaaaat?  Yeah, I had never heard of it.  6 years old and she weighs 14 pounds.  Looks like a little sprite.  Unconventionally pretty, and very smart.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. It sounds cliche, but I don't care - she not only radiates joy, she oozes joy.

And I lost it. 

In one of my more tearful moments of the show Kenadie meets her Skype friend from across the ocean - another little girl with primordial dwarfism - for the first time in the flesh and gives her a big hug and a present and they giggle together.  I think I cried because even though these girls are so young they still understand the monumental moment and connecting with a friend, without fear, despite their "disability."  Was it their shared dwarfism that made for a strong connection, or did that have nothing

to do with it, or was it just because Kenadie embodies an almost unearthly joy that pulls everyone in?  How do little kids discover that they're different, and if there are two "different" kids together are they no longer different?  Puzzling.

I was thrilled that TLC enlightened me with engaging "parental" stories beyond the annoying nutbags Jon and Kate, or the mothers who enter their INFANTS in BEAUTY PAGEANTS. WTF.  Can't turn away, but for all the wrong reasons. To me, these people are the sideshow freaks, despite seeing the giant traveling freakshow trailers at fairs that proclaim "See the world's smallest woman!!"

I couldn't turn away from Kenadie, and I think it's for all the right reasons. I don't feel sorry for her and her family. I believe them when they say their daughter, with this oddball condition, is a gift. I don't think they're exploiting her, I think they are generous in sharing their story with the world.  And I'm not going to be all Chelsea Handler and get obsessed with little people. I'm just very moved by Kenadie's story.

(the photo is from http://www.littlekenadie.com/photos.php and I just realized there's all kinds of copyright infringement lingo and that I probably shouldn't put the photo of Kenadie and the snow globe here as a point of reference but I really wanted you to see her.)

Comments

[KtP]

Awww...you're cute when you're sappy. :)