All you need to do, is to, just stay with him, while he’d, cried his, heart out, there’s, nothing ELSE that you can do, for these children in their, adolescent years, just stay with them, and let them know, that you will, be by their side, to offer them advice, help if needed, and you’d done, more than, enough, a teacher’s experience in dealing with teenagers, translated…
Back then I just, started out as a school instructor, and was, assigned to a class of forty boys in the final year of their high school career, the rookie instructor was nicknamed, “Aunty Jr.”, don’t know if it was a good or a bad thing, so I’d, consulted my older brother on the matter.
He’d reminded me, to always, keep my temper in check, to NEVER grill this group of, half-grown bratty boys in public, otherwise, they will prove to be, even harder to handle, to treat them gently, and I shall, tame them all, one, by one, and that, was from his own confrontations with the disciplinary instructor back in school. I’m grateful for him passing along the wisdoms, and, my class and I, we’d, gone through to the end of the semester, without anything major. On the afternoon of the final exams, I was in the teacher’s office, grading the exams, then, there came, a “test” for me, accidentally.
Came a student, who’d, wreaked of, alcohol, he’d, barged in, pulled up a chair next to me, then, started, slurring on how he’d, lost love and was in so much, pain, before I could react to what he’d said, he’d started, wailing loud, I’d immediately, handed him the tissues. He’d, started, sobbing and sniffling, poured his heart out, and I can’t even, understand a word he’d said, and I couldn’t, find a space in his slurred speech, to say something to him, so I’d sat, awkwardly, and just, be with him.
Actually, I’d felt, more than, nervous then, what if, he went crazy from getting drunk, or if he’d started, hanging over? I now regretted, staying after school then, I’d, felt, so alone, without any assistance that I’d, needed. And, seeing how the Kleenexes are, piling up in front, and he didn’t seem to be anywhere near finished crying yet, I’d, pulled up the waste basket, and, got up, to get the extra pack of Kleenex I had stashed in the office, just in case, and, I’d, sat back down where I was, not knowing what it was that I could, do for him.
I’d sat on the pins and needles a long, long time, he’d finally, stopped crying, and, handed back that almost used-up pack of Kleenex back to me, told me he felt a whole lot better, and stood up, thanked me, then, left. Afterwards, he’d told everybody he’d met, that I was, a good teacher, that I’d, guided him a tough moment in his life, and this made me feel, odd, because, I did, absolutely, NOTHING FOR him, I’d only, stayed by his side while he’d, cried his eyes and heart out is all.
And so, I’d learned of the ways, to deal with the emotional outbursts of these, miniature, adults, all I needed was, enough patience, packs of Kleenex, and, just be there for these students, and, when he’s done crying, handing him a glass of warm water, to keep his throat from drying out, and, quenching his heart and soul, he’ll, manage his own emotions, and, he’d, become, brand new again; believe me, the silent company is, way more important, and works, way, way, WAY better than the words of consoles.
And so, all you need to do was, to stay BY these children’s sides, as they, CRIED their eyes out, offer them that, safe place to express their upsets freely, without judgments, without any advice, because THAT, is NOT what they need, just be there by their side, and they will, show you, that they have what it takes, to weather through, whatever storm clouds they’re, currently trying to get away from on their own.
Life, the Obstacle Course 