A Child's Loving Example
Kelly Myers
Director of Youth Faith Formation and Programming
They say you can learn a lot from a child…

And through the years, I have learned a lot. I especially learned how to slow down and enjoy the present moment. But up until last summer, the words and actions of a child had never resonated so close to my heart that it made me actually do something about it. 

It was July 2019, and I was at Great Adventure with my son and nieces. I was trying to be the cool adult who could still go on the crazy roller coasters with them. But after I got off 'El Toro,' I found myself dizzy, nauseous, and needing to sit down. An hour later I still was not quite right and sat and waited with my 10 year old niece. We caught up on the school year and much of our conversation focused on one friend who’s father had died that winter. My niece explained how she had gone to the wake, and just sat with her so she wasn’t alone. She went on to share that as the weeks passed, she would reach out to her and see if she was ok.  She understood that this normally sweet friend was acting out because she was in a lot of pain and would ask her if she wanted to talk. As I sat and listened to my niece, I was amazed at her kindness and how she was ‘there’ for her friend. I was overwhelmed with the empathy she showed at such a young age, and even now as I think back to our conversation, it still touches my heart and brings tears to my eyes. 

That conversation stayed with me for a long time and I kept wondering if God was trying to tell me something. You see, my husband died in 2009 and I had always thought that I would one day help people who had to learn to live with a loss. Up until that point, I tried to be a good friend to people I met who were grieving, but was there something more that I could do? Was God telling me that I was ready?  

After a lot of prayer, I realized that I wanted to volunteer at the ‘Treehouse,’ which is a family bereavement center in Westchester that was instrumental in helping my son and I heal. Thinking of my niece and her remarkable spirit, I put aside my fears and contacted them. I immediately knew I made the right decision, and although it was going to be hard, I was grateful for God’s gentle nudge. 

I attended their annual facilitator training program in January 2020 and was ready to participate in March when they had to close the program due to COVID. As I am writing this now, the program is still making their final decision on how to proceed, but I will be participating this fall whether it is in person or virtual.

They say you can learn a lot from a child…

Thank you, my dear niece, for your example of love and empathy and giving me the courage to follow your lead.