In BingBing’s Hands

I met BingBing the day she started preschool.

All the other children gathered around her and wanted to shake hands with her. But she hid her hands behind her back and looked like she would cry. She was born with cleft hands.

At first, BingBing would not participate in any activities. But I stayed beside her. One day, when the children were doing an art activity, I put a small bowl of glue near her and asked her, “What does it feel like?” She touched the glue and drew her hand back quickly. “Is it sticky?” I prodded. This time when she touched it, she did not pull away. Instead, she smiled and nodded.

After that, BingBing started to use her hands. With practice, she became more and more dexterous. She learned to pick up, hold and manipulate objects, and even draw using a marker.

When BingBing first started learning to write, she had trouble holding a pencil. She wrote and erased, wrote and erased, again and again. “I can write,” she kept telling herself, “I can write.” Finally, she made a beautiful character. She smiled and jumped for joy. All her classmates applauded.

BingBing, I am so proud of you. Although you have experienced many storms, you are like a beautiful rainbow. I will be supportive of you forever.