She turns on the light and looks in the mirror.

She sees a little girl running across the green grass, a Beagle puppy nipping at her heels. She bends down to pick a daisy and twirls it in her fingers. She sits and plucks the petals one by one. Her sad eyes look toward the sky, she finds angels and ice cream cones in the clouds. It's her 7th birthday but there will be no ice cream.

In the blink of an eye, she's standing on a stage, accepting her high school diploma. She walks with a bounce, a smile on her face and hope in her eyes. She dreams of adventures to come.

A fleeting moment passes. She lies in a hospital bed cradleing her first born child. The second, third, fourth and fifth children follow in timely intervals. Her eys are filled with pride and concern.

The years pass swiftly...she sits alone but finds a sort of comfort in her solitude. A wisp of gray hair hides her furrowed brow. The laugh lines on the aging face speak volumes about the good times...and the bad.

Her eyes are clear and bright as she takes a long look in the mirror. She says a quiet good night to the reflection and turns off the light.