{"id":350,"date":"2007-07-16T11:00:29","date_gmt":"2007-07-16T11:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/beyondblue\/2007\/07\/the-hurt.html"},"modified":"2007-07-16T11:00:29","modified_gmt":"2007-07-16T11:00:29","slug":"the-hurt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/beyondblue\/2007\/07\/the-hurt.html","title":{"rendered":"The Hurt"},"content":{"rendered":"

My favorite children\u2019s book doesn\u2019t have beautiful, colored illustrations. It isn\u2019t even hardback. It\u2019s a $3.95 black and white paperback that explains to kids how to express their emotions. I read it to David and Katherine whenever I can find it (not often), because 36 years into my life, I\u2019m still trying to practice its wisdom.
\nI\u2019ve typed it out for you. If I violated a right of Paulist Press, I\u2019m sorry! Forgive me! (I used to be the children\u2019s book editor of Paulist Press, so I don\u2019t think they\u2019d fine me too much). You may want to buy a copy in case they do get mad at me.
\n“The Hurt<\/a>” by Teddi Doleski<\/p>\n


\nJustin and Gabriel were friends. They played together almost every day.
\nOne day Gabriel got mad at Justin. He said, “Justin, you are a pig-faced punk.”
\nJustin didn\u2019t know what to say. He walked away from Gabriel and went into his own house.
\nHe was hurt. The Hurt was like a big round stone, all cold and hard. It seemed he could hold it in his hand and feel the hardness.
\nJustin didn\u2019t tell anybody how he felt. He took the Hurt into his room.
\nGabriel isn\u2019t my friend anymore, he thought. The Hurt grew bigger.
\nI\u2019ll never talk to him again, he thought. I\u2019ll just stay here in my own room by myself. The Hurt grew even bigger.
\nJustin heard Daddy call him.
\nHe was happy that Daddy was home. He ran out to see him.
\nDaddy said, “Justin, I\u2019m very disappointed in you. You tracked mud into the house. Just look at the floor.”
\nJustin went back to his room. Daddy didn\u2019t even notice that I put away my hat, he thought. Daddy only notices the bad things I do. The Hurt was huge now. It was bigger than Justin.
\nEach day after that, Justin saved up all his bad feelings and gave them to the Hurt. The Hurt grew bigger and bigger.
\nJustin didn\u2019t really like the Hurt. It wasn\u2019t as much fun as Gabriel. But the Hurt was dependable. Justin didn\u2019t have to worry that it would be nice one day and mean the next. It was always the same, only bigger.
\nOn Saturdays, Daddy helped Justin clean his room. They put away all the toys and folded the clothes.
\nThey dusted and ran the vacuum cleaner and put clean sheets on the bed.
\nBut this Saturday, Justin said, “I\u2019ll clean my room by myself, Daddy.”
\n“OK,” said Daddy. “I guess you\u2019re getting to be a big boy now. You don\u2019t need any help.”
\nJustin didn\u2019t feel very big. He felt small.
\nBut he didn\u2019t want Daddy to come into his room and see the Hurt. It was enormous now. There was hardly even room for Justin.
\nHe felt lonely cleaning the room by himself.
\nThat night as Justin slept, he felt the hard cold Hurt pushing against him.
\nWhen he awoke, he said, “My bed isn\u2019t snug anymore. That Hurt is ruining everything. Pretty soon it will be so big that there won\u2019t be room for me in here.”
\n“Then there won\u2019t be room for me in the house.”
\n“Then there won\u2019t be room for me in the world. The Hurt will take up all the space.” Justin got scared.
\n“Daddy,” Justin said. Daddy was making breakfast in the kitchen. “Daddy, a big Hurt came to live in my room, and it\u2019s taking up all the space.”
\n“Where did it come from?” Daddy asked.
\n“It came from Gabriel calling me a bad name.”
\n“What name?” asked Daddy.
\n“A pig-faced punk,” said Justin. Saying the bad name out loud made him feel better.
\n“I understand why you were hurt,” said Daddy. “Did you tell Gabriel how you felt?”
\n“No,” said Justin. “I just came home.”
\nDaddy sat down, and Justin climbed into his lap.
\n“Sometimes our friends make us feel very bad,” said Daddy. “And other times they make us feel good.”
\n“Gabriel made me feel good when I had chicken pox,” said Justin. “He drew me a funny picture that made me laugh.”
\n“Friends are good to have,” said Daddy.
\n“But what will I do with the Hurt?” asked Justin.
\n“You\u2019ll have to let it go,” Daddy said.
\n“It\u2019s too big to get out of my room now,” said Justin.
\n“When you\u2019re ready to let it go, it will be small enough.”
\nWhen Justin went back to his room, the Hurt was a little smaller.
\n“I don\u2019t want you here anymore, Hurt,” Justin said. “You don\u2019t make a very good friend.”
\nThe Hurt grew even smaller.
\nJustin went outside to help Daddy wash the car. He said, “Daddy, it hurt my feelings when you saw the mud I tracked in but you didn\u2019t see the hat I put away.”
\n“I\u2019m sorry,” said Daddy. “You are very responsible about putting your things away. Sometimes I forget to tell you I\u2019m proud of you. You\u2019re a fine little boy, and I\u2019m glad you\u2019re my son.”
\nJustin felt all sunshiny inside.
\nHe wanted to make that car glisten. Working with Daddy was fun.
\nThat night at bedtime, Justin opened his window. He pushed the Hurt to the window and left it there.
\nThen he went to bed. The bed felt warm and cozy.
\nIn the morning the Hurt was gone.
\nJustin closed the window.
\nThat day Justin went to Gabriel\u2019s house. “Do you want to play?” he asked.
\n“OK,” said Gabriel.
\nFrom then on, they played together almost every day.
\nIf Gabriel got mad and called Justin a pig-faced punk, Justin called Gabriel a crooked-eyed creep. Then they both laughed and went back to their playing.
\nOr sometimes, Justin would say, “Gabriel, I don\u2019t like it when you call me names.”
\nGabriel would say, “I\u2019m sorry.”
\nAnd Justin would say, “I forgive you.” Then they would play some more.
\nThere were times when something bad would happen, and the Hurt would come back.
\nBut Justin didn\u2019t hide it. And he always let it go before it got big.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My favorite children\u2019s book doesn\u2019t have beautiful, colored illustrations. It isn\u2019t even hardback. It\u2019s a $3.95 black and white paperback that explains to kids how to express their emotions. 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