*
The mother sat at the kitchen table after dinner was
finished. Her eyes were tired and moist with tears she couldn’t shed. The
children were in bed for the night. After bath time that had turned into a
splashing war and trying to get them into their pajamas, which resembled
wrestling, the kids were finally tucked away. The mother was waiting for the
inevitable wave of little feet down the hallway which would mean she would have
to start the battle of keeping them in bed until they actually fell asleep.
She turned and looked into the living room. Her husband was
sitting in his chair in front of the television. His favorite program was on,
but he simply sat there was eyes unfocused. He was not asleep, but yet not
truly awake. He had had that look a lot lately. He had no interest in anything.
He was taking his medications faithfully, but it was a bad time in his
condition.
“Mama?”
The mother turned to see her daughter at her side, holding
her stuffed kangaroo toy and looking very serious.
Before the mother could start the bedtime ritual, the girl
spoke again.
“Why is Daddy sad?”
The mother stopped. She looked carefully at her little girl.
How to explain a condition like Depression to one so young? Was now the time?
What could she say?
Instead of ignoring the question and getting the small one
to bed again, this mother decided to teach her. Depression was complicated. A
serious condition that is mostly not visible. All the child knew was that her
Daddy didn’t play anymore.
The mother closed her eyes for a just a moment and said a
fervent, silent prayer to her Heavenly Father that the words would come to her
so she could teach and comfort her child.
When she opened her eyes again, she picked up the girl and
put her baby on her lap.
“You know how Grandpa’s heart is sick?” She asked, referring
to the scare they had had with her Father’s heart attack. He had lived, but
after a long stay in the hospital and a scar for his time.
“Yeah.” The little girl replied, watching her mother
carefully.
“You know how you get sick sometimes and your tummy doesn’t
feel good?”
“Yeah.”
“Daddy is sick right now. But it isn’t his tummy or his
heart that is sick. He has Depression. That means that his feelings are sick.
He doesn’t feel good right now. Depression makes him very tired, but it gives
him bad dreams. He is very sleepy and sad when he is awake, too. When his
feelings are sick he doesn’t want to play. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love
you. He loves you very much. He will never stop loving us, no matter how sick
his feelings get. We just have to love him too and be really good to him.” She
hugged her daughter. “We are trying to find the medicine that will make him
feel all better. But it might take a while. Right now we have to be very nice
to Daddy, and to each other. We have to fill our home with love. We have to
keep saying our prayers to Heavenly Father.”
“And hugs.” The little girl said very calmly.
“Yes.” The mother agreed. “We should give lots of hugs.” She
squeezed her child again. “Sometimes when you want to give someone a hug it means
Heavenly Father knows that someone needs one from Him.”
“Can we give Daddy a hug from Him?”
Tears now came freely as the mother smiled at her wonderful
little girl. “Yes, honey.” She said. “Let’s go give Daddy a hug.”
Mother and daughter came into the living room and approached
the father on his chair. He looked up in surprise as both embraced him without
a word. After a moment he rose his heavy arms to wrap around them too.
“That is from Heavenly Father, Daddy.” The little one said,
hugging him with all her strength. She wiggled up so she could kiss his cheek.
“And that is from me.”
*
Smile Always.
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