"Annie"
She doesn't know anything and she's not aware of anything. Let us call her Annie. She's only 12, suffering from Hydrocephalus also known as water on the brain. Her head weighs twice her normal head.
"She must have been suffering a lot." I said sympathetically when I saw her again at Saint Luke's Medical Centre's social service department, where patients from unfortunate families are being treated or free, I was waiting for my grandma then.
Of all the patients there, she managed to caught my attention for the second time. She's laughing real hard as her Kuya tickles her, amazed by this beautiful scene, I purposely sat on the vacant seat near them as I recall the first time I saw her.
Maybe it's about 6 months from now, I accompanied my grandma for her regular check up at SLMC.
She was skinny back then, and was crying mightily out of misery. Seeing her now though I'm not a medical doctor, I can say that her condition really improved, a lot.
I was sunken with my thoughts until a man wearing a torn faded gray shirt walked in front of me and he hugged Annie. And kissed her on the tip of her nose.
She laughed. He whispered words I didn't hear. She hugged him back. And once again, I saw that pure and innocent smile. She may be pitiful in the eyes of the people around her but in her family's eyes she's being loved and she found comfort.
She may look differently but she is a child in a very unique way. And in the eyes of our Lord, she's special. :)
Every child special.
