JUST ONE MORE HUG

by Sharon

I was the food person that fed all the kids at the camps for the YMCA. One day, as the vans were bringing in the kids from school, I heard a crash and a hand painted flowerpot was lying on the cement floor of the pavilion where I take care of the kids. Since I had ninety-five children I wasn't sure who the little flowerpot belonged to, but I saw the little boy who accidentally knocked it off the table.

I thought the pot belonged to another little boy age five, so I walked up to him and told him if we could find some glue, I could fix the pot for him. It turned out I was talking to the wrong boy.

Unknown to me, the boy who did make the pot, heard what I said and went and got a counselor and told her that if "Miss Sharon" had some glue, then his pot could be fixed.

Just as I was cleaning up my work area, young Tyler approached me. " Miss Sharon, are you in a hurry?"

I just knew it was his pot. I said, "Tyler, was it your flowerpot that broke?"

"Yes ma'am" he replied.

With tears in his eyes, he said, "I made it all by myself and it was for my mom for Sunday, and now it's all broke and I don't think even you can fix it, Miss Sharon."

I bent down and took his chin in my hand, and I said, "You wanna bet?" I told him when we got done, it was going to be as beautiful as it was when he walked in the pavilion with it.

I had another job to rush to, but I knew this little boy's present for his mom was something I just had to help him with.

Another counselor had rushed out for glue and I began the restoration. I put that little hand painted flowerpot back together. Of course there were some blemishes, with chips missing here and there but I knew Tyler's mom would love the little pot (just because he had made it for her)

I told Tyler that his mom would be happy because when a little boy gives his mom something he made for Mother's Day, it's perfect, no matter WHAT shape it's in. He looked at me and grinned, and said, "Oh thank you Miss Sharon. But I'm gonna tell my mom the pot got broke" Then suddenly he looked up at me and said, "Can I give you a hug?"

I said "You sure can."

I bent down to get my hug and give him one back. He said, "Miss Sharon, do you have any children?"

During all this another new little boy was standing watching. I said, "Yes, I have children, but they're all grown up now."

And he said, "I bet you got a son, huh?"

I looked down and before I could say anything, the other little boy, also age five, spoke up and said, "My baby sister died last Saturday." I looked up at him and I said, "I'm sorry to hear that."

He said, "My mom is not feeling good, all she does is cry." He looked at me and said, "Can I have a hug too?"

I said, "You sure can!" I was hugging those two little guys, and I was getting kisses on my cheek, when Tyler said, "Miss Sharon, how many children do you have?"

I said, "I had three, and one died when he was just about your age." Tyler asked me how did he die, and I said, a big tree fell on him.

His arms tightened around my neck and he said, "Miss Sharon, I am so sorry your little boy died and I know you must be thinking of him for this Mother's Day, but I want to tell you that I love you. And my mom is going to be so happy that my flowerpot is still ok."

And then the new little boy looked at me and said "Did you cry all the time when your little boy died?"

I said, "Yes, I did, I cried a lot." He looked so pitiful and said, "I wish I could make my mom happy but nothing I do makes her happy. She misses my sister."

I said: "Do you want to tell me how your little sister died?"

"She was being born," he explained " and something went wrong and she quit breathing, and her face was bruised my mom said, and she just died." And then he said, "All I want for Mother's Day is to make my mom happy and not cry." Big tears welled up in his eyes. And Tyler had tears in his eyes, and I had tears in mine, remembering my own little 5 year old who had died. (He never lived long enough to make his mommy a Mother's day gift in school).

As Tyler started to leave to meet his mother he turned and came back to the pavilion and he said, "Miss Sharon, can I give you just one more hug?"

And I smiled and I said, "I'd like that very much, Tyler." Again those little arms reached around my neck, and then he whispered in my hear, "I hope you have a nice Mother's Day, Miss Sharon!"

I know his mom won't care if there are tiny pieces missing from his flowerpot. She won't care if some of the soil is not there for his little flower. She's only going to care that her little boy made her something for Mother's Day. And that is as it should be.

This little 5 year old brought back some memories for me of a time when my own little boy was alive. Tyler, with his hugs, his smiles and his beautiful disposition made my Mother's Day this year!!

Sharon Bryant

Post Script
Sharon added one thing of importance to her letter. She encourages all moms who are hurting and lonely because of the death of a child to keep an awareness for the siblings of those children. Sharon says "remember your other children are hurting for their missing siblings and for their parents."

Sharon Bryant

1946@bellsouth.net