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whenshewasverylittle,hewouldpickherup,humatuneanddancewithheraroundtheroom,andhewouldtellher,"iloveyou,littlegirl."
whenthelittlegirlwasgrowingup,thegreatmanwouldhugherandtellher,"iloveyou,littlegirl."thelittlegirlwouldpoutandsay,"i'mnotalittlegirlanymore."thenthemanwouldlaughandsay,"buttome,you'llalwaysbemylittlegirl."thelittlegirlwho-was-not-little-anymoreleftherhomeandwentintotheworld.asshelearnedmoreaboutherself,shelearnedmoreabouttheman.shesawthathetrulywasgreatandstrong,fornowsherecognizedhisstrengths.oneofhisstrengthswashisabilitytoexpresshislovetohisfamily.itdidn'tmatterwhereshewentintheworld,themanwouldcallherandsay,"iloveyou,littlegirl."
thedaycamewhenthelittlegirlwho-was-not-little-anymorereceivedaphonecall.thegreatmanwasdamaged.hehadhadastroke.hewasaphasic,theyexplainedtothegirl.hecouldn'ttalkanymoreandtheyweren'tsurethathecouldunderstandthewordsspokentohimhecouldnolongersmile,laugh,walk,hug,danceortellthelittlegirlwho-was-not-little-anymorethathelovedher.andsoshewenttothesideofthegreatman.whenshewalkedintotheroomandsawhim,helookedsmallandnotstrongatall.helookedatherandtriedtospeak,buthecouldnot.
thelittlegirldidtheonlythingshecoulddo.sheclimbeduponthebednexttothegreatman.tearsranfrombothoftheireyesandshedrewherarmsaroundtheuselessshouldersofherfather.herheadonhischest,shethoughtofmanythings.sherememberedthewonderfultimestogetherandhowshehadalwaysfeltprotectedandcherishedbythegreatman.shefeltgriefforthelossshewastoendure,thewordsoflovethathadfortedher.andthensheheardfromwithintheman,thebeatofhisheart.theheartwherethemusicandthewordshadalwayslived.theheartbeaton,steadilyunconcernedaboutthedamagetotherestofthebody.andwhilesherestedthere,themagichappened.sheheardwhatsheneededtohear.
hisheartbeatoutthewordsthathismouthcouldnolongersay…
iloveyou!iloveyou!iloveyou!
littlegirl!littlegirl!littlegirl!
andshewasforted.