Day 724: Children

Yesterday, I saw, heard, and experienced many things related to children.

I took these two photos on my way in to work:

Then, in individual and group therapy, I worked with people who had

• lost children
• felt lost, as children, and
• last week had lost somebody they loved as children, to suicide.

Here’s some of that work in progress, drawn by a former child, on a board:

I left work, as I usually do on Wednesdays, around noon time. This is what I heard, on my walk back to my car:

That‘s Bernadette Peters singing “Children Will Listen,” from Stephen Sondheim‘s Into the Woods. Here are the words she’s singing:

Careful the things you say,

Children will listen.

Careful the things you do,

Children will see and learn.

Children may not obey

But children will listen.

Children will look to you

For which way to turn

To learn what to be.

Careful before you say,

“Listen to me.”

Children will listen.

Careful the wish you make.

Wishes are children.

Careful the path they take.

Wishes come true,

Not free.

Careful the spell you cast

Not just on children.

Sometimes the spell may last

Past what you can see

And turn against you.

Careful the tale you tell

That is the spell.

Children will listen.

Guide them, then step away,

Children will glisten.

Tamper with what is true

And children will turn

If just to be free.

Careful before you say,

“Listen to me.”

Children will listen.

Children will listen.

Children will listen.

Because it was Christmas eve, there were very few people around during my walk back to my car. But I still noticed children (and people who have been very important to children).

 

 

Then, at my workplace garage, I saw Selemun, who was especially kind last year, when my only child was sick.

I also saw this reindeer car at my workplace garage:

… which appeared previously in this here post.

On my drive back home, I stopped for more children-related things:

Then, last night, I witnessed lots of beautiful children (and former children) giving and receiving gifts:

    

Thanks to children and adults in my family, to all those who work — and those who live on — in the Fenway Park area of Boston, to Bernadette Peters and Stephen Sondheim, to people who listen, and to all children and former children (including you!) visiting here, today.