One Word
Friday evening we spent at my sister's. LM enjoyed hanging out with the cousins and we all enjoyed some pizza and some down time after our busy weeks. When we arrived back home, LM sat quietly on the couch not doing anything - a rarity for my boy. I asked what he was thinking about.
"Nothing."
With my motherly intuition tuned in, I replied, "I don't believe you. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing."
I decided to make a game of it, hoping to extract whatever was causing him so much deep contemplation.
"How about we play 20 Questions and see if I can guess it?"
LM agreed, chuckling despite his pensive mood.
1. Is it an activity? NO
2. Is it about a person? Yes
3. Is it about a specific person or just people in general? (LM asked me to clarify the question. I said, "For instance, I could just be thinking about when I might have another great date, or I might be thinking about when I might have a great date with Tom Brady. Oh, he said, sort of a specific person.)
4. Are you thinking about seeing if D or E can play with you tomorrow? NO
6. Are you thinking about your George or Bird? NO
7. Are you thinking about kids at school? NO
8. Are you thinking about your dad? NO
9. Are you thinking about your grandparents? NO
10. Are you thinking about Eli? NO (he laughed and reminded me that Eli is not a person)
11. I guess I don't need to ask if it's about Jonah, then, huh? NO
12. Are you thinking about W, your best friend in PA? NO
13. Okay, LM I'm running out of ideas, can I get a hint?
LM left the room, I thought the conversation was over and I wasn't going to find out what was on his mind. I decided to drop the topic and make a mental note to try to bring it up another time. LM returned to the room a few minutes later and flew a paper airplane into my lap and then ran into his bedroom.
After spending an evening playing with George and Bird, laughing, eating pizza, fighting and reluctantly leaving, LM's paper airplane contained the following message:
"One word: Brother"
Oh, LM, if only it were so simple to give you one.
"Nothing."
With my motherly intuition tuned in, I replied, "I don't believe you. What's on your mind?"
"Nothing."
I decided to make a game of it, hoping to extract whatever was causing him so much deep contemplation.
"How about we play 20 Questions and see if I can guess it?"
LM agreed, chuckling despite his pensive mood.
1. Is it an activity? NO
2. Is it about a person? Yes
3. Is it about a specific person or just people in general? (LM asked me to clarify the question. I said, "For instance, I could just be thinking about when I might have another great date, or I might be thinking about when I might have a great date with Tom Brady. Oh, he said, sort of a specific person.)
4. Are you thinking about seeing if D or E can play with you tomorrow? NO
6. Are you thinking about your George or Bird? NO
7. Are you thinking about kids at school? NO
8. Are you thinking about your dad? NO
9. Are you thinking about your grandparents? NO
10. Are you thinking about Eli? NO (he laughed and reminded me that Eli is not a person)
11. I guess I don't need to ask if it's about Jonah, then, huh? NO
12. Are you thinking about W, your best friend in PA? NO
13. Okay, LM I'm running out of ideas, can I get a hint?
LM left the room, I thought the conversation was over and I wasn't going to find out what was on his mind. I decided to drop the topic and make a mental note to try to bring it up another time. LM returned to the room a few minutes later and flew a paper airplane into my lap and then ran into his bedroom.
After spending an evening playing with George and Bird, laughing, eating pizza, fighting and reluctantly leaving, LM's paper airplane contained the following message:
"One word: Brother"
Oh, LM, if only it were so simple to give you one.
Comments
Good luck!
Meanwhile, if you'd like for me to send my little guy for a visit, he might change LM's mind :)
What happen with the foster parenting? Did that change when you moved?
You have such a big heart maybe you can find that brother but in a different way.
For now ...
XOXOX