limb below her, she panicked and pulled herself higher onto the branch above her. I became nervous for her and noticed that she was becoming more upset. “You need to climb down to me, Paige. I’m right here if you slip. You only have to make it down another branch to get to me. Just try for me, please. I promise you, Paige, I won’t let you fall.”
Paige’s face turned to look at me and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. I knew she was embarrassed, so I tried to keep my face as blank as possible to keep from making it worse.
Her little arms finally started to relax, lowering her body enough that her foot firmly landed on the lower branch. She slid slowly down to the limb below her and I was able to reach up and steady her as she climbed down to the branch where I was waiting for her. As soon as she reached me, I wrapped my arms around her and held her until she started to calm down.
Forcing her little face up to look at me, I reminded her, “You have to stop being afraid of falling, Paige. You’ve never fallen before, except for that one time, and that was my fault, not yours. You’re a good climber and you need to remember that. You don’t need me or anyone else to get you down. Understand?”
She nodded her head once but refused to look me in the eye. I knew she was being headstrong so I choose to ignore it this time instead of poking fun at her like I would normally do.
When we finally reached the ground Paige started running towards the back door. I easily caught up to her and reached out to grab her shoulder. Once I got ahold of her, I shoved her back so that she landed on the ground with a heavy thud on her bottom. Almost instantly, her arms crossed over her chest and she looked up at me with that cute little scrunched up face.
“Well, what are you doing just sitting there? Get up, Paige. You’re not going to be able to do anything about it by sitting on the ground like that.” When she didn’t move, I sighed and walked over to help her up. I had every intention of shoving her back down again because she knew better than to wait for me to help. I would keep doing this with her until she finally learned that the only person who would pick you up when you fall was yourself. As soon as I got near her, I reached my hand down to help her and chuckled as she reached up to accept my assistance. Just before our hands joined, her little leg kicked out and caught me in the knee. I fell to the ground and my hands instantly went to my leg from the pain.
Paige jumped up from the ground, not waiting for me to push myself up. She ran to the back door and opened it. Before walking inside, she turned around and stuck her little tongue out at me.
I laughed as she disappeared inside the building. It was about time she started defending herself. I was proud of her. If she kept that up, she would never end up like my mom.
I walked inside and headed back to the room my mom and I shared. I could hear the radio playing some old Southern rock and mom sat on the bed humming along with the music. She looked happy and I wondered why her mood had suddenly turned. We’d been here for almost three months and up until recently, she never seemed to smile. As soon as mom caught sight of me, she opened her arms, inviting me in for a hug. I walked over to her and she pulled me in for a tight hug. Holding me to her, she started singing the lyrics of the song before stopping and asking, “Do you know who sings this, Buddy?” I shook my head and looked at her funny. I’m seven. How am I supposed to know who sings some random song? She laughed before saying, “This is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Song’s called ‘Simple Man’. It’s one of my favorites.” Her hand came up to ruffle my hair. “Reminds me of you little buddy.”
I looked up at her in question and she smiled brightly. “It’s what I want for you. I pray every day that you’ll
Paige’s face turned to look at me and I saw a single tear roll down her cheek. I knew she was embarrassed, so I tried to keep my face as blank as possible to keep from making it worse.
Her little arms finally started to relax, lowering her body enough that her foot firmly landed on the lower branch. She slid slowly down to the limb below her and I was able to reach up and steady her as she climbed down to the branch where I was waiting for her. As soon as she reached me, I wrapped my arms around her and held her until she started to calm down.
Forcing her little face up to look at me, I reminded her, “You have to stop being afraid of falling, Paige. You’ve never fallen before, except for that one time, and that was my fault, not yours. You’re a good climber and you need to remember that. You don’t need me or anyone else to get you down. Understand?”
She nodded her head once but refused to look me in the eye. I knew she was being headstrong so I choose to ignore it this time instead of poking fun at her like I would normally do.
When we finally reached the ground Paige started running towards the back door. I easily caught up to her and reached out to grab her shoulder. Once I got ahold of her, I shoved her back so that she landed on the ground with a heavy thud on her bottom. Almost instantly, her arms crossed over her chest and she looked up at me with that cute little scrunched up face.
“Well, what are you doing just sitting there? Get up, Paige. You’re not going to be able to do anything about it by sitting on the ground like that.” When she didn’t move, I sighed and walked over to help her up. I had every intention of shoving her back down again because she knew better than to wait for me to help. I would keep doing this with her until she finally learned that the only person who would pick you up when you fall was yourself. As soon as I got near her, I reached my hand down to help her and chuckled as she reached up to accept my assistance. Just before our hands joined, her little leg kicked out and caught me in the knee. I fell to the ground and my hands instantly went to my leg from the pain.
Paige jumped up from the ground, not waiting for me to push myself up. She ran to the back door and opened it. Before walking inside, she turned around and stuck her little tongue out at me.
I laughed as she disappeared inside the building. It was about time she started defending herself. I was proud of her. If she kept that up, she would never end up like my mom.
I walked inside and headed back to the room my mom and I shared. I could hear the radio playing some old Southern rock and mom sat on the bed humming along with the music. She looked happy and I wondered why her mood had suddenly turned. We’d been here for almost three months and up until recently, she never seemed to smile. As soon as mom caught sight of me, she opened her arms, inviting me in for a hug. I walked over to her and she pulled me in for a tight hug. Holding me to her, she started singing the lyrics of the song before stopping and asking, “Do you know who sings this, Buddy?” I shook my head and looked at her funny. I’m seven. How am I supposed to know who sings some random song? She laughed before saying, “This is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Song’s called ‘Simple Man’. It’s one of my favorites.” Her hand came up to ruffle my hair. “Reminds me of you little buddy.”
I looked up at her in question and she smiled brightly. “It’s what I want for you. I pray every day that you’ll
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