“Mommy loved to go sailing.
Will you come sailing with me?”
“But, Paula,” says Daddy. “I just
want to stay in bed.”
“Nonsense,” says Paula (exactly
the way Mommy used to say it).
“We are going sailing. Mommy
would want us to.”
Paula sits on her bed, not hearing any movement from her father in the early morning. He isn't doing any of his usual things - no footsteps, no smell of coffee in the air. When she can't wait any longer, she gets up to paint him a picture. It's a fast car, and her dad is waving through its window.
Daddy hardly notices. It's Saturday and he is too sad to get up. He is missing Paula's mother, who has died. Paula knows just how he feels. But, she has a plan. She invites her father on an adventure. When he wants to stay in bed, she encourages him to get up and go sailing with her! She knows it is what her mom would want them to do.
On the imaginary voyage, she does her best to cheer her dad up. Soon, he is using his imagination to warn of a coming storm. They battle through it, with Paula's unwavering commands. The sail, once tamed, grabs the wind and carries them aloft. When the wind dies, the two fall from the sky straight onto Dad's bed. Back from their adventure, it is Dad who knows just what to do now.
"I''ll make coffee for me and hot chocolate
for you. But today, we don't need a book.
We'll just look at your paintings again."
Gently told, visually lovely with its range of color and light, and uplifting, children will be happy to know that father and daughter can weather the storm that loss brings.
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