Trusting yourself … and what can happen when you don’t

Conversation in my office last week, between an awesome, magical, athletically gifted 12-year-old boy, his Mom and me.

Mom:  Everything was going really well until last night, when we spent most of the evening in Urgent Care.  

Me:  Wow! What happened?

Mom (looking at her son):  Bike accident!

Me to 12 yo (observing no bandages, no outward signs of injury):  Awww!! Are you ok?

12 yo (squirms and nods, studying the floor)

Me:  Really?

Mom:  He cut open his scrotum … there was blood everywhere!

12yo:  Mommm!

Me:  Ouch!!  What happened?

12 yo:  Well I was on a path and I fell off the bike.

Mom to me:  Now it’s a “path!”  Last night on the way to urgent care, it was a curb …he hit a curb!

Me (smiling at him):  A path?

12 yo:  Well … actually it was stairs!

Me:  Hmmmm!  Open stairs or a stairwell?

12 yo:  A stairwell.

Me:  Wow! What were you thinking?

12yo:  Well, last week I did it and I didn’t fall!  … I won’t do it again!

Me:  What if you didn’t say you won’t do it again?  What if instead you asked yourself a question, like:  is now the time? Yes? No? And then go with whichever reads true for you.  

12 yo (brightening):  Ok!

Me:  And, what if you could ask your body:  Body, would you like to do this? Body, can we do this with ease?

12 yo:  Yah! (pause)  Oh, and this time, my friend rode down the stairs right before me and he fell, so I had to jerk away to miss him … it’s pretty steep!  That’s when the bike hit me wrong …

Me:  Hmmm …

Mom smiles.

There was a lot more to the session than this … We talked about being present, about being aware, about what a second of unconsciousness can create, about not making things significant, and so much more.

I love these kids!  I love what I do!! I love their sparkle and magic and curiosity and willingness to be and do whatever … and, their willingness to keep on moving!