My daughter finished up two semesters of swimming classes this summer and was eager to show me her new skills at a hotel swimming pool. As she displayed her new talents, she was unaware of a little girl watching her from the hot tub.

The little girl moved from the hot tub to the top step of the pool to get a closer look. Becoming braver, the little one moved onto the second step and began to call to my daughter. Still oblivious to the little girl, my daughter continued to swim in the deep end of the pool while basking in mom’s “full attention”.

After she showed me her new skills and gathered my “atta girl comments”, I told her the little girl was trying to tell her something. She smiled and swam closer to the little one. The little girl had been calling to her, “Do you want to come sit by me?” My daughter willingly obliged and plopped down next to her. The happy little girl turned to her parents and grandmother and excitedly proclaimed, “Look, look – it’s my flend.” (Two-year old language translation = friend.)

In looking back over this past year, I’ve felt like the little girl here at VAF’s Pool Party. Watching the skilled virtual assistants, I have called out to you to be my “flend”, too. Thank you to all of you here at the forum for taking time to sit next to me for a minute - giving me confidence, knowledge, pointers, and a few laughs, too.

And you, over there on the step…. Would you like me to sit by you for a minute?

~ Melissa