Bleeding Heart

It happened so quickly.

One moment I'm making sure they are showering and getting into their pjs and the next I am shut in a room with 4 teenage boys, one of whom is in the middle of a major emotional meltdown.

Panic sweeps through me. There's chaos outside the room and chaos inside the room. Frantically wracking my brain my only solution is to "give him space". Minutes pass by excruciatingly slow. With each second comes the relief of another moment without injury. With each second comes the fear that this time we won't be so lucky.

Suddenly the hero of the story emerges in the most unlikely of places.

He has trouble focusing and controlling his speaking volume. He has a never ending source of energy when it comes to arguing about rules. He struggles to control his impulses and is slightly lacking in the tact department. As the other boy struggles to control his emotions, this young man walks over and starts talking about his favorite parts of South Park. The next thing I know, the tears are replaced by laughter and the tension in the room dissipates.

As I stood there watching the two of them, I was overwhelmed by the simple kindness expressed by that young man. If only I could be more like him. If only.