November 23rd, 2005 by Jemaleddin Cole

Sierra had her Birth­day last week, but she had a big party with her friends over the week­end. From Sat­ur­day after­noon until Sunday after­noon, there were 6 girls between the ages of 9 and 11 in my house, and I real­ized something.

Little girls are won­der­ful. They’re like pre­cious little gifts. They’re cute and sweet and honest and won­der­ful. Zank Eaven for them and what-​not.

Women too, are won­der­ful. They’re beau­ti­ful and elu­sive and excit­ing all at the same time. And more than that, they nat­u­rally have a deep under­stand­ing of com­pas­sion that men have to work hard to learn. Some­times I think that they’re the only thing keep­ing this world from going com­pletely off the rails.

Otto von Bis­marck once wrote that “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” And let me tell you, seeing the process by which little girls are turned into women is down­right hor­ri­fy­ing. I saw things this week­end that would curdle a lesser man’s blood. I saw the most pop­u­lar girl in school burp her ABCs. I heard the words, “Let’s play Truth or Dare again.” I can’t describe to you the kind of fear that puts in a father’s heart.

So for the record: girls good, women good, tweens take years off your life.

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