“Don’t worry, Daddy,”
she said with that same confident smile.
“Everything is going to be okay.”
As the bailiff announced that court was dismissed, people began filing out of the courtroom. Robert knelt down and hugged his daughter tightly.
“Lily, baby, what you did was very brave. But what if you can’t really heal the judge? What if we’re just making everything worse?”
Lily looked at her father with those amazing green eyes and smiled.
“Daddy, do you remember what mommy used to say about miracles?”
Robert’s eyes filled with tears as he remembered his late wife’s favorite saying.
“She used to say that miracles happen when love is stronger than fear.”
“That’s right,”
Lily said, squeezing his hand.
“And I love you more than I’m scared of anything. The judge lady is scared, too. But she has more love in her heart than she knows. I’m going to help her remember that.”
Judge Catherine remained in the courtroom long after everyone else had left. She sat in her wheelchair, staring at the spot where Lily had stood, replaying the conversation over and over in her mind. What had she done? In 20 years as a judge, she had never made a decision based on emotion rather than law. But as she sat there in the empty courtroom, Judge Catherine realized something that shocked her. For the first time in 3 years, she was looking forward to tomorrow.
The next morning, Judge Catherine woke up in her bed feeling something she hadn’t felt in 3 years—excitement. As sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, she found herself wondering what Lily was doing at that very moment. Catherine transferred herself from her bed to her wheelchair, just like she had done every morning for the past 3 years. But today felt different. Today, she had hope.
Meanwhile, across town, Robert was making breakfast for Lily in their small apartment. He watched his daughter eat her cereal, amazed by how calm she seemed.
“Lily,”
Robert said carefully, sitting down across from her.
“Sweetie, about what you promised the judge yesterday…”
“I know, Daddy,”
Lily said between spoonfuls of cereal.
“You’re worried because you can’t see my gift yet. But don’t worry, it’s going to work.”
Robert felt his heart skip a beat.
“What do you mean your gift? Lily, you’ve never healed anyone before.”
Lily looked at her father with those wise green eyes that seemed too old for her 5-year-old face.
“Remember when Mrs. Henderson hurt her back last month and she couldn’t get out of bed?”
Robert nodded.
“Remember how I asked if I could visit her? And you said yes. I held her hand and told her a story about a magic garden where all the flowers could sing. The next day, her back felt all better.”
Robert’s eyes widened. He did remember that Mrs. Henderson had gotten better unusually quickly.
“And remember when Tommy Peterson from down the hall broke his arm?”
Lily asked.
Robert remembered. Their neighbor’s 8-year-old son had fallen off his bicycle and broken his arm badly. The doctors said it would take 6 weeks to heal.
“I drew him a picture of a superhero with strong arms,”
Lily said matter-of-factly.
“And I told him his arm was going to be stronger than ever. It got better in 3 weeks instead of six.”
Robert stared at his daughter, his mind racing.
“But Lily,”
Robert said gently,
“helping someone’s back feel better or helping a broken arm heal faster… that’s very different from making someone who can’t walk suddenly be able to walk again.”
Lily finished her cereal and looked at her father seriously.
“Daddy, Judge Catherine’s legs aren’t broken like Tommy’s arm was. Her legs work fine. The problem is in her heart.”
“What do you mean, sweetheart?”
“When I touched her hand yesterday, I could feel all the sadness inside her,”
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