Weekday mornings are a struggle for my family.

There are so many pitfalls – getting dressed, eating breakfast, FINDING SHOES, etc. By the time I exit the drop-off line at school, I often feel I have survived a major test of fortitude and patience. So I was particularly struck by a sweet moment this morning.

Friday mornings at our school include a dance party near the kindergarten entrance. Imagine a gaggle of little girls shaking their groove-thing to whatever song is blaring from the principal’s phone. These dance moves are not to be paralleled by anything in the junior high wing of the school, let me assure you. Make no mistake, my daughter loves being the center of attention. However, she avoids the morning dance party every time. I assume it is related to her aversion to laughter that my daughter refuses to dance with her friends. My darling six-year old has recently started melting down whenever she thinks someone is laughing at her. One giggle aimed in her direction and the crocodile tears start flowing.

Now, my daughter’s bestest buddy has zero qualms about getting down. You can tell that the music is speaking to her SOUL on Fridays. This morning, I’m pretty sure I saw her epically doing the robot, at which point, I nonchalantly asked my own diva if she was going to join the dancing. She immediately squinted her eyes and said “No. I just want to go inside.” At the appropriate moment, my daughter jumped out of the car and made a bee-line for the school doors. She was probably halfway there when I noticed her friend had stopped dancing and was eyeing our car, trying to make sure it was us. Once her eyes found my girl, she grabbed her bookbag, said “ok guys, I’m headed inside,” and ran to catch up with the sullen non-dancer.

What struck me in this moment was that sweet and innocent sacrifice for friendship.

The dancer clearly was having the time of her life, but she put an end to it when she saw her buddy, head-down, walking into school. I said a quick little prayer for those sweet girls’ friendship. “Mean girls” can seem pervasive in all stages of female life. To have found a friend who will leave the party to go with her buddy – what a treasure!

That moment was exactly what I needed as I began my morning commute.  I turned my music up and jammed my way to the office!