Day 358: Mum’s Crying

Mum’s Crying
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Why is Mum crying?
(Mother, head lowered, tears on cheeks. Child looking up at her, concerned.)
I don’t know.

Has some monster attacked?
(Child and mother now small, big monster stomping away.)

Or has one of the pets died?
(Child standing, perplexed look over shoulder at fat golden retriever ghost with little wings above him.)

Maybe Dad got lost…
(Child on tippy-toes, stretching to look out front door.)

Or stolen!
(Dad looking annoyed, under the arm of a thief running away.)

People get sad. It happens.
(Mum, walking, head down, tears, kid walking behind, concerned.)

They hurt.
(Kid holding Mum’s limp hand.)
Don’t hurt, Mum.

It’s a big world.
(Child in middle. To child’s left, girl crying over broken violin. Right, boy crying over something unspecified.)
There are so many reasons to cry.

Don’t get me wrong. There are a billion more reasons to be happy!
(Two kids having a ball, kicking/playing in dead leaves under a tree.)

But, sometimes, it’s time to cry.
(Mum sitting, head down, holding both of child’s hands.)

Maybe a hug will help.
(Child leaning in to hug mother, whose eyes are closed, tears still on cheeks, but warmly smiling.)

We can all do that:
Hug someone who’s crying.
(Three kids hugging – an old lady, a dad, another kid. A forth kid hugging a dog.)
Every one of us.

Sometimes it will help. Sometimes not. But so what? Try.
(Dad, annoyed, hugging monster’s leg.)

It doesn’t take much.
(Mother, embracing child so both can look at each other. Mother still with wet cheeks, but warm smile. Child reaching to touch her cheek.)
But does so much!

There’s no skill involved. You just have to love someone, I guess.
(Mother happy, throwing child into air.)

A hug.
(Mother, nose still red, cheeks wet, fully happy now, hugging child, who is a bit scrunched by hug.)

Oh, how wonderful life is!
(Mother and child walking away from reader, child almost skipping.)

 

 

The End