I am often amazed at the things little kids come up with.
Some people know...some people don't...but my brother has spent the last year of his life making really bad choices.
He's currently paying the consequences for some of the choices.
While many 5-year-olds are all about themselves...and Maddie is no exception...this morning I was doing her hair after having a sleep over and all she could do was talk about Uncle Zac.
Is he going to be ok?
If I draw him a picture will that help him?
Is he ever coming back?
I felt confident in answering yes to all of the above questions, but felt like I was cheating her out of those reassurances she so desperately wanted to hear.
How am I going to handle things with my own kids?
Zac is safe.
He will be ok.
He'll love to have a picture from you.
He'll be back some day.
I was humbled and amazed that a little girl could feel so much empathy and worry over an uncle she hardly ever sees.
I wish we could all go back to that age where we truly believed that drawing someone a picture would make everything right with the world.
Thanks for the reminder to cherish the simple things in life, Mads. I love you.
Some people know...some people don't...but my brother has spent the last year of his life making really bad choices.
He's currently paying the consequences for some of the choices.
While many 5-year-olds are all about themselves...and Maddie is no exception...this morning I was doing her hair after having a sleep over and all she could do was talk about Uncle Zac.
Is he going to be ok?
If I draw him a picture will that help him?
Is he ever coming back?
I felt confident in answering yes to all of the above questions, but felt like I was cheating her out of those reassurances she so desperately wanted to hear.
How am I going to handle things with my own kids?
Zac is safe.
He will be ok.
He'll love to have a picture from you.
He'll be back some day.
I was humbled and amazed that a little girl could feel so much empathy and worry over an uncle she hardly ever sees.
I wish we could all go back to that age where we truly believed that drawing someone a picture would make everything right with the world.
Thanks for the reminder to cherish the simple things in life, Mads. I love you.
3 comments:
Now you make me bawl. Thanks for writing about this moment. Dude, you up for a road trip to Casper someday?
How about you print this off and send it to Zac along with a drawing from Maddie?
Sir
Don't forget that he developed some insight due to this incident: "I should have run the other way. Never run towards the sirens."
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