Today I took Sabi with me to the grocery store. As we were getting out of the car we witnessed a horrible scene. A man was cursing violently, loudly and hatefully to a 2 or 3 year old in his care. The boy was crying non-stop and was extremely scared. Apparently the boy was not watching where he was going (more like the adult in charge was not watching the boy) and was almost hit.
Without repeating the profanities, the message the man said to the boy was basically that it was his own fault for not watching where he was going and to shut up. He also verbally put the boy down at least 10 times while we witnessed this scene. The mother then stepped in and wanted to know why the man was saying these things to the boy and she also started screaming profanities at the top of her lungs at the man about what a jerk he was and told him"that's why you don't got no kids."
I got out of there with Sabi as fast as I could because I didn't want her witnessing anymore of that mayhem. I was horrified that she (we) both saw and heard what we did. I then spent the next 5 minutes holding her and telling her how much I love her and tried to process the scene we just witnessed for her and for me as well.
I felt really awful about that scene for several reasons. One is that I am saddened that Sabina had to see and hear that ugliness. It felt to me like a part of her innocence was robbed from her by watching that. I also feel guilty for not trying to do anything to help the little boy. I am not sure what I could have done exactly but I wish that I could have done something. I reacted on my gut which was GET SABI OUT NOW!
My heart goes out to this poor child. I can't seem to get him out of my mind. This child is being raised in an environment where he most likely does not know that he is special or loved. He probably hears hateful speech and mean spirited tones from the people who are supposed to care for him. How scared, sad and lonely he must be. Who hugs him? Who tells him and shows him with actions that they love him? What will become of this child as he enters school and society? As an adult will he be the same as the people who are caring for him now?
All I can do is send hopeful thoughts towards this boy and all other children that are in similar situations. G-d bless them all. May they find love, peace and happiness sometime soon.
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1 comment:
That just breaks my heart. Unfortunately, I used to work in an inner-city children's hospital and have witnessed a lot of the same disregard for kids that you did. It breaks my heart that there are kids out there like that one who don't know what it's liked to be cherished and loved beyond all else by a parent.
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