Conversation in my office last week, between an awesome, magical, athletically gifted 12-year-old boy, his Mom and me.
Mom: Everything was going really well until last night, when we spent most of the evening in Urgent Care.
Me: Wow! What happened?
Mom (looking at her son): Bike accident!
Me to 12 yo (observing no bandages, no outward signs of injury): Awww!! Are you ok?
12 yo (squirms and nods, studying the floor)
Me: Really?
Mom: He cut open his scrotum … there was blood everywhere!
12yo: Mommm!
Me: Ouch!! What happened?
12 yo: Well I was on a path and I fell off the bike.
Mom to me: Now it’s a “path!” Last night on the way to urgent care, it was a curb …he hit a curb!
Me (smiling at him): A path?
12 yo: Well … actually it was stairs!
Me: Hmmmm! Open stairs or a stairwell?
12 yo: A stairwell.
Me: Wow! What were you thinking?
12yo: Well, last week I did it and I didn’t fall! … I won’t do it again!
Me: What if you didn’t say you won’t do it again? What if instead you asked yourself a question, like: is now the time? Yes? No? And then go with whichever reads true for you.
12 yo (brightening): Ok!
Me: And, what if you could ask your body: Body, would you like to do this? Body, can we do this with ease?
12 yo: Yah! (pause) Oh, and this time, my friend rode down the stairs right before me and he fell, so I had to jerk away to miss him … it’s pretty steep! That’s when the bike hit me wrong …
Me: Hmmm …
Mom smiles.
There was a lot more to the session than this … We talked about being present, about being aware, about what a second of unconsciousness can create, about not making things significant, and so much more.
I love these kids! I love what I do!! I love their sparkle and magic and curiosity and willingness to be and do whatever … and, their willingness to keep on moving!
