A Reassuring Hand
by D. R. Roth
I am writing about the importance of guarding your children,
even in busy times, and the importance of a reassuring hand.
Let me begin with a story that happened in a famous shopping
center that has a toy store with several aisles, which makes
it very easy for children to get lost.
When I entered the store, I heard a child screaming
hysterically. I asked her for her name and she told me. I
looked around but couldn't find anyone who might possibly be
her mother. The girl resumed her hysterics and it was only
after I took her by the hand and told her we were going to
look for her Mommy that she stopped crying and walked happily
by my side until her sister, searching for her, found her.
Just a short while later, the same thing was repeated with a
little boy who was running up and down the aisles crying
bitterly until his brother finally found him.
My point is that parents should bear in mind the safety of
their children, who are not replaceable, rather than the
goods, which are. Some people bring many children shopping
and becoming engrossed, forget about the little ones,
remembering about them when it is time to go home. This is
irresponsible. Think of the child's emotions, about the
trauma, of such a frightening situation. Secondly, anyone,
with a few sweet words, could have taken the children by the
hand — anywhere.
But that reassuring hand means a lot to a child. As soon as I
told the girl that we were going to look for her Mommy, and
as soon as she felt protected by my hand, she calmed down.
Many times, we are unable to help someone physically, but we
can extend a figurative hand through a few sympathetic words
of hope, a listening ear.
I heard of a wife who suffered from headaches. Whenever she
reported them to her husband, he told her to go and take an
Acamol. When she had a backache, he told her to go lie down
and rest. Many times, pain is caused by stress and anxiety. A
reassuring hand, kind words of hope and understanding, can be
far more effective than medical remedies.
