One night I was sitting in my kitchen halflistening as my 15yearold son, Tommy quarreled with his
12yearold brother Kevin. I didn't pay attention when Kevin__1__the stairs with the__2__on his face.
About 20 minutes later, as I was walking upstairs I heard Kevin__3__inside the bathroom. I bit
my tongue to__4__myself saying, "Come on, Kevin, don't be such a __5__." Instead, I knocked on
the door and asked, "Hey, Kevin, do you want a __6__?" No answer. I __7__ again, "Why don't
you come out of there?"No answer again. So, looking around, I took hold of a pile of __8__ and a
pencil and wrote, "If you don't want to talk, we can __9__ notes to each other."
An hour later I was 10 sitting outside the bathroom with two piles of the cards in front of me. They
are cards from Kevin on which he had 11 all his unpleasant feelings into words for me. By this time I
don't 12 the rings of my telephone and popular TV show downstairs. One of Kevin's notes said, " 13
in this family cares about me. I am not the youngest, and I am not the 14 , and I am not the 15 .
Tommy thinks that I am stupid and Dad wishes he had 16 Kevin as a kid because he's better at
baseball. And you never 17 me."
18 came to my eyes. I wrote back, "You know, Kevin, I really do love you and I am sorry I don't
always 19 it. I am here for you and you are loved in this family."Since then I try my best to never only
20 my family members any more. Kevin and I have a closer relationship now. |
