I like to reflect on the little moments that open my eyes to the many treasures in life and the significance in the smallest of things.
Many times, those small things are monumental.
I have shared many of those moments with my daughter- so that she too can see the many treasures that are right in front of us.
Today, she shared a story that touched me deeply- and I want to pass it on to you.
She works as a counselor for a summer sports camp for children.
She told me there was a little girl who had a bone disease that made her appear to me much younger than her age due to her size.
The other children, not understanding that each of us have unique qualities, have teased her endlessly and today took the teasing to a deeper level of cruelty.
This girl was reaching inside a tire attempting to save a defenseless lizard and to bring it to safety.
The other children told her there were leaches inside the tire and hoped they would cover her whole body.
She told my daughter she wanted to go home- - and she didn't deserve to come to a camp that was supposed to be "fun" just to be teased.
She shared some of the stories of how others have teased her- in school, play parks, and other social outlets- and they were heart-wrenching.
My daughter admitted to me her anger at the other children for being so cruel toward her.
She brought the little girl into the room and gathered all the children that were a part of the cruel gestures and asked them how it would feel to be teased every where they went because they were slightly different.
She also talked about the blessings the children had in life- one of them having the freedom to go places free from such cruelty. The children listened intently, apologized, and took my daughter's words to heart.
She asked the small girl if there was anything else that could be done to make things better.
The small girl simply said, "I just want to save the lizard."
My daughter said it was nearly impossible to not cry when she heard about the pain this girl has had to endure, but when she said she just wanted to save the lizard, my daughter did cry.
I cried when I heard it- the kind of cry that marvels at the heart of such an amazing little girl-- Knowing the tiniest of things truly can be momumental.
A Lavish Moment, I just had to pass along.
She told my daughter she wanted to go home- - and she didn't deserve to come to a camp that was supposed to be "fun" just to be teased.
She shared some of the stories of how others have teased her- in school, play parks, and other social outlets- and they were heart-wrenching.
My daughter admitted to me her anger at the other children for being so cruel toward her.
She brought the little girl into the room and gathered all the children that were a part of the cruel gestures and asked them how it would feel to be teased every where they went because they were slightly different.
She also talked about the blessings the children had in life- one of them having the freedom to go places free from such cruelty. The children listened intently, apologized, and took my daughter's words to heart.
She asked the small girl if there was anything else that could be done to make things better.
The small girl simply said, "I just want to save the lizard."
My daughter said it was nearly impossible to not cry when she heard about the pain this girl has had to endure, but when she said she just wanted to save the lizard, my daughter did cry.
I cried when I heard it- the kind of cry that marvels at the heart of such an amazing little girl-- Knowing the tiniest of things truly can be momumental.
A Lavish Moment, I just had to pass along.
-Ardy Skinner
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