What has a child told you lately?
Just One Question #2
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The Turtle Shell
As the family gathered around the hospice bed, the air was thick with grief, each breath heavy with the weight of impending loss. My husband, surrounded by those who loved him most, took his final breath, and the room was filled with the sound of sobs, the deep wailing of a family shattered by cancer. My four children, his parents, his siblings, and the hospice nurses stood vigil, hearts breaking as we faced the unimaginable.
In the midst of this profound sorrow, our youngest son, just 11 years old, looked up at the tear-streaked faces and said, with a wisdom far beyond his years, “It’s OK. It’s just his turtle shell.” His innocent words brought the room to a standstill. He continued, “I don’t know why everyone’s crying. He’s right here with us in the room. I can feel him.”
In that moment, the sobs quieted, the raw pain eased, and a serene calm settled over us. Even the hospice nurse, who had seen countless farewells, said she had never witnessed such a profound moment.
Lori
Whia
My seven year old said to me: the tongue has no bones but it can break hearts.
Sari Azout
Training to be an adult
My son, who is now in his late 30s, posed a question to me when he was about 4. At the time I was working as a coach and trainer of adults. His question was, “You have to train to be an adult, don’t you dad?”
Never stopped being true.
Wynn
Kids are still learning, and so are you
“Dad, I’m new at this”
BG
You Said It Spiritually
My daughter Ary (10) had said something mean to Ray (9) and they were arguing in the back seat. After a few minutes of bickering, Ray says, “Ary, you’re just saying that because you don’t like me.”
Ary was surprised and exclaimed, “I never said that! I never said I didn’t like you!”
To which Ray replied, “Well, you said it spiritually”.
I just laughed, and said, “He got you there, Ary.” It had me thinking, “What am I saying ‘spiritually’?”
Ray Hinish
To a child, it was just an off the cuff observation
My 6-year-old daughter, walking with both of us, cut straight to the bone:
“You and mom have secrets that you don’t know about each other.”
Brian Thomas
The Fun Must Go On
My son was doing something he definitely shouldn’t have been doing, and of course, he ends up getting hurt and starts crying. My 5-year-old daughter, ever the problem solver, shouts like a drill sergeant, “Just lick your finger, put it where you got hurt, and then go right back to what you were doing for fun!”
AG
Dead flowers
While playing with my four year old daughter, she put her hands on either side of my face and stared into my eyes with an unexpected urgency—like the discovery of a lost treasure, I thought.
“Daddy,” she said, never breaking her stare. “Your eyes look like dead flowers.”
Sean Mul
Anger isn’t negative …
My 13 year old has been learning bass guitar and gets extremely frustrated with himself when he can’t master a technique or play as fast as he wishes. He’ll get so angry that he’ll yell in frustration. About 20 minutes later, I’ll hear a joyous and equally loud, “YES!”
Later that evening we had a talk about his anger. I suggested that he give himself a break and not be so hard on himself. His response was, “But dad, I use that anger to get better.”
J. Michael
09/21/24
