no.57 - Little Kid Cough

My daughter has quite a sniffle. She's been under the weather for a few days now, making a sound my brother refers to as "Little Kid Cough."

Even if you don't have children, this sound shouldn't be difficult to imagine. It is a heartbreaking little noise. Even when it is deep in the lungs and rattles her body, it is still small and helpless - especially when heard deep in the night.

After at particularly rough coughing jag yesterday, I told my daughter that I was sorry she wasn't feeling well and that I wished there was something I could do to make her feel better. She looked up at me with her red watery eyes in disbelief.

If I could not do anything to fix this, who could?

It is little wonder she woke up this morning and difficult and angry, trying to smooth a wrinkled drawing of her favorite frog. She refused my help. Her frustration was immense. All too soon, I am afraid, she will discover the world is full of things none of us can fix, like a small rasping cough pitted against a big, nasty cold.