When I read my friend's email last week, I asked if I could post it and she said "sure honey," somewhat dismissively. I think it's pretty darn fabulous, don't you? Sometimes we forget how "literary" a simple-day-in-the-life email can be.
....
Something so sad happened...
After our school's spring fair, we were outside doing some yard work and watering, and after a while, I went in and a few minutes later, I heard N yelling in the backyard. I ran to the window, and saw him, visibly shaken up, yelling toward the tracks, "DON'T HURT THE BUNNY! DON'T HURT THE BUNNY!") I ran out, afraid that whoever he was yelling at might hurt N. There was a young teen (maybe 14), crouched down, petting a wild rabbit. N ran into the house, and I went over to the tracks and asked him what happened. I don't think he spoke English well. He got up and walked to his bike, and I could see the rabbit's back legs were hurt. I tried to talk to the boy, but I didn't think he was understanding me well. I went to check on N, and the boy rode away.
N was sitting on the coffee table, crying and shaking. He told me the boy threw a rock at the rabbit, and stomped on him. I hugged him and he cried on my shoulder, and I told him how proud I was of him for standing up for what's right. He got ready for bed and I went out to check on the rabbit, and N stuck his head out the door and said we should bring him a carrot. I told him the rabbit had gone away. N got into bed, and I told him again how proud I am of him and also told him that not everyone has been taught to love animals the way he has, and sometimes, kids may not always treated well by the adults in their lives and sometimes they take it out on something weaker, like animals...but hopefully this boy saw our concern for the bunny and will make a different choice next time.
He's having a lot of trouble falling asleep...I let him keep his door open, I even turned on the radio in the living room, but he keeps getting up. I know how his mind works, and I think he's replaying the incident in his mind, preventing him from being able to fall asleep, as well as being worried about the bunny.
I am trying to embrace this as a life experience that helps him grow, and I am so proud of him...it took a LOT for him to yell from his gut like that at a complete stranger.
Has anything like this happened to your kiddos?
