A Miraculous Connection
The process of planning an all-day reading event for a school of more than 800 students is, to say the least, a big endeavor. I spent months securing guest speakers, authors, presenters, and community members for this special day. Even so, finding presenters for the upper grade levels proved to be a challenge. By mid-February, I had preschool through third grade fully scheduled—but fourth grade remained unfilled.
At one point, my teammate mentioned that her mother-in-law would be visiting from Michigan. She offered to ask if she might present to our fourth graders, as she had done the previous year. I was already open to inviting parents, but then she added something more. Her mother-in-law had worked for many years at the Penrickton Center for Blind Children, and her presentation focused on how visually impaired children learn in a variety of ways.
Yes. This was exactly what I had been hoping for.
Not only did I need a fourth-grade presenter, but I also wanted students to deepen their understanding of others. This felt like the perfect fit. As she spoke, I also recognized the name Penrickton—my cousin had attended there in the early 1980s. It felt meant to be.
With everything in place, emails sent, and the day quickly approaching, I thought I was ready.
At least, I thought I was.
Little did I know, something magical was about to unfold.
When the doors opened that morning, students poured in carrying books to donate to the Literacy Center. They arrived dressed as their favorite characters or in cozy pajamas. District staff, community members, guest authors, and speakers filled the building with energy and smiles, ready to share their love of reading.
The day began beautifully.
As everyone settled into classrooms, I took time to walk the building, soaking in the magic happening all around me.
Eventually, I made my way to the fourth-grade pod. Inside, students were fully engaged in hands-on activities inspired by the Penrickton Center for Blind Children—raised tic-tac-toe boards, balls with internal chimes, and braille materials. I knew, deep down, that this experience was helping them grow in compassion and empathy.
And then, the most unexpected moment of all hit me like a wave.
I walked over to our presenter—my teammate’s mother-in-law—to thank her and share a small piece of my story.
“I grew up in Michigan,” I began, “and when I was in second grade, my aunt was in a car accident. She was pregnant at the time. My cousin was born blind…”
Before I could finish, she looked at me and asked, “Angela?”
My breath caught. My eyes widened. I stood there in complete shock.
“How did you know?” I managed to ask.
She gently replied, “That’s not a story people usually begin with.”
In that moment, everything shifted.
Tears filled my eyes as I realized what had just happened—someone beyond my family remembered my cousin.
My cousin, Angela, was blind, nonverbal, and lived for ten years with many complex health challenges. And yet, here was someone who knew her. Who remembered her.
I stepped away, overwhelmed, tears streaming down my face.
As I walked the halls, I tried to process it all—the grief of losing her so long ago, and the overwhelming beauty of life’s unexpected connections.
By the end of the day, one truth settled into my heart: There is always more magic waiting to unfold.
And perhaps even more incredible—at the very same time I was planning this event, I had been writing a poem about my cousin, Angela Kate.
All along, she had been with me.
Living quietly in my heart… as my little character, “Poppyseed Kale.”
After writing Making Memories in January, I found myself reflecting on what it might have been like to play with my cousin Angela. Those “what ifs” led me to imagine a little girl who could play, explore, and live life to the fullest—even while navigating the world in a wheelchair.
This is the poem that gently poured out of me, shaped by longing and hope for a different ending.
Poppyseed Kale
Poppyseed Kale
was different from me,
Red hair, pale skin,
and freckles, you see.
She lived down the road,
In a house with two rooms.
A swing in the tree
A yard full of blooms.
I’m glad when I met her,
I needed a friend.
And Poppyseed Kale
Was waiting ‘round the bend.
“Hello!” I waved out,
Not sure that she’d hear,
I was willing to meet her,
Despite all my fears.
We learned really fast,
That we liked many things
Ice cream and legos,
And make-believe things.
We played pretend school,
Acting out our school day.
Letters and dots,
And modeling clay.
When the weather was nice,
We rode bikes on the drive.
Back and forth, up and down
Before the clock chimed five.
Some days were so humid,
We tried to stay cool.
We’d walk several blocks,
To the community pool.
Our favorite routine,
Was to laugh ‘til we cried.
We would sit on her swings,
So our toes reached the sky.
We played everyday,
Every chance that we got.
It didn’t matter to us,
What other kids thought.
They’d say, “Poppyseed Kale,
You can’t be like me.
I can climb
to the top of that tree.”
But Poppyseed smiled,
Not bothered at all.
Her wit was so quick,
She’d answer their call.
“Why climb a tree?
What does that prove?
That I am still me
And you are still you?”
She would smile at them,
And give them a wink,
Nod her head once,
And turn in a blink.
I worried that her
feelings were hurt,
But she shook her head no
As I kicked at the dirt.
The very next day,
I knocked at her door.
Nobody answered,
So I knocked a bit more.
Then from the backyard,
I heard a loud cheer.
I ran ‘round the house,
It was just as I feared.
Poppyseed Kale
Dangling high in the tree,
All the kids cheering
Far below next to me.
What was she thinking?
Such a dangerous act!
So high in the tree,
It gave me a heart attack!
But wouldn’t you know,
She climbed down with ease
and made her descend,
Look like a breeze.
She did it. Hooray!
She proved them wrong.
Showing strength in herself,
And that she belongs.
That day I learned
A big lesson, you see.
Poppyseed Kale
Wasn’t so different from me.
She lived her life,
How she wanted to be.
It didn’t matter,
What others would see.
She rolled on ahead,
As I followed behind.
Our paths together,
Forever intertwined.
LennieRenae ©2026
Poppyseed Kale: Available on Amazon—Introducing Lennie Renae, the visionary creator behind the heartwarming tale you’re about to embark. Having navigated numerous years in academia, Lennie holds a wealth of knowledge, including a Bachelors of Science in psychology, a multi-subject teaching credential, a Masters in Education, and a collection of technology certifications earned along her educational journey.
Lennie Renae is a children’s author who enjoys creating imaginative stories that celebrate kindness, courage, and individuality.
Her rhyming story Poppyseed Kale was inspired by memories of her cousins. Her first playmates and lifelong friends—whose adventures together helped shape her love of storytelling.
She writes with the hope that her stories inspire children to believe in themselves and to treat others with empathy and respect.
You did it again, Lennie. You captured her spirit in such a heartfelt poem. You also captured the spirit of others with developmental disabilities, for they are true human persons just like you and me. Pass on the poem for others to see.