Article June 18, 2001 Issue

Hone in on a healing

What you look at is your choice.

By Barbara DeNisi

Choici's face dissolved into tears when she realized her mom had just left. I was going to take care of her for an hour or so, and I knew it wouldn't help her if she continued to think about her mom. So I got down on the floor and started to play with the toy garage that she'd been involved with when I'd arrived.

In less than a minute, she was absorbed in moving the little cars and people around on the elevator and the ramps of the garage. And she had fun, even though her mom was gone.

Later, I was thinking that this shows how our attitude is formed largely by the focus we choose. I could have sympathized with this little girl, held her on my lap and talked about her mom in hopes of calming her down. But that would have kept her riveted on what was making her unhappy. How much better it was to focus on the fun she could have with her toys than on her missing mom.

Send a comment to the editors

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE

Article

Are you being bullied?