A Little Doll Was Just What I Needed

I work with preschoolers. I was at the school of my favorite little girl this afternoon. (I guess I should be neutral, but I can't help it, she's my favorite.) We played, and she was just all over me today with hugs and wanting me to hold her, etc. Sweet. When it was time for the class to play outside, I buckled Little Doll into her helmet and sent her off to ride a tricycle. I sat at the little snack table to write a note to her mom. 

About five minutes later, the classroom assistant came in carrying a crying and bloody Little Doll. She had taken a tumble. The assistant sat her next to me and tried to clean the many scrapes and cuts on her face, hands, and arms. Doll was so brave. At one point, the assistant went to answer the door. When she left, Little Doll hung her head and just sobbed. She looked so tiny and fragile, alone in her chair. I know that feeling too well: I'm in pain, I'm overwhelmed, and all I can do is cry. 

I sat her on my lap and distracted her by talking about the artwork in the room, the birthday calendar, whatever came to mind. 

When she was mostly cleaned up and had an ice pack in her mouth, the assistant called her mom. I continued to comfort Little Doll, who was oozing a variety of bodily fluids. Poor kid. She leaned her little head on me. A parent volunteer started setting up the snack, so we moved to the teacher's rocking chair. 

And there we stayed, waiting for Mom for the next 20 minutes. Kids came and I fielded their questions. The assistant offered to take Little Doll, knowing that I should have left more than 30 minutes before. Doll refused to go to anyone else. I think a lot of adults (myself included) could learn something from her honesty, saying what we need rather than, "I'm OK..." Mom came in and found us still rocking, just being. She thanked me for staying to comfort Little Doll. 

Later Mom emailed me to thank me for snuggling Doll until she got there, that Doll loves me. 

This experience really touched me. It taught me that as much as I'm struggling right now, I still have so much to give. I think I got more comfort from this experience than Doll did. Sometimes we get just what we need to make our pain bearable, and I think that was true for both Doll and me today.