Chapter 6 - Learning to Live
Summer turned into autumn. The leaves across the Oregon hills turned vibrant shades of crimson and gold. Slowly, agonizingly, Sophie began to learn how to be a child.
In the beginning, the trauma manifested in heartbreaking ways. If a door closed too loudly, she would scramble under the kitchen table and wrap her arms around her head. If she didn't finish all the food on her plate, she would weep, believing she was going to be punished or locked away.
I worked with Dr. Thorne and a specialized child trauma therapist named Claire Adams. Every day was a lesson in building trust.
We established routines. Every morning at 8:00 AM, we made pancakes together. Sophie loved pouring the blue sprinkles into the batter. Every afternoon at 3:00 PM, we walked to the nearby park, where she would sit on the swings, pushing herself higher and higher while I stood right behind her, catching her every time she came back down.
One Tuesday afternoon, while sitting on the grass, Sophie looked up at a flock of geese flying south against the bright blue sky.
"Grandpa?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Sophie?"
"Why didn't my daddy love me?"
The question hit me like a physical blow, stripping the air from my lungs. I sat down beside her on the grass, taking her tiny, warm hand in mine.
"Sophie," I said gently, looking into her clear brown eyes. "Sometimes, grown-ups have sicknesses in their hearts that make them selfish and cruel. It had nothing to do with you. You are smart, you are kind, and you are worth loving. Your daddy’s choices were his failure, not yours."
May you like
She looked at me for a long moment, then buried her face into my chest, wrapping her small arms around my neck. "I like staying with you better," she whispered.
"I like having you here better, too," I murmured, holding her tight against the crisp autumn air.
