Intelligence

My oldest niece, not quite 10 years old, is sensitive, creative and religious. Like me, she is the middle child and has artistic inclinations, and so I more closely identify with her than with my other nieces and nephews. On a recent visit to the East Coast from California, she told me that towards the end of August she'll be visiting Las Vegas, where her mother's parents live, for a few days, returning home the day before her older brother's Bar Mitzvah weekend.

"It was my idea to go," she proudly told me. "I didn't want to be at home during such a stressful time for my family," she explained, referring to the frenzy that will likely be taking place as the household prepares for this important milestone and celebration.

I was blown away by her awareness, at such a young age, to take such good care of her sensitive self by relocating to a calmer place, where her grandmother will probably treat her to a manicure and otherwise pamper her.

When I was her age, the most I could do to extricate myself from difficult and chaotic times at home was to get on my bicycle and ride for a few hours, hoping that by the time I returned the storm would have blown over. I had no other place to go, either on foot, by bicycle or by airplane.

She is lucky that her parents have the means to send her to visit far flung family. And she is extremely intelligent to have figured out when it's a good time for her to get out of town.

You go, girl!