"Don't Catch Me!"

Playing outside, she will yell, "don't catch me" and the race is on! 

I huff and I puff, she's "so fast!"

 Finally, in screams of joy, she is caught and tickled 

then released to do it all over again.

 And as I begin pumping my arms for another round, 

I think how much I wish I could catch her.  

All of her.  And bottle it up forever.

 The transient nature of childhood is what makes it so beautiful.  

I know I don't want her to stay like this forever.

 But someday, I'd pull that bottle down from a shelf and pour out just a little bit.

And love every minute of it again.