Benno doesn’t have school tomorrow. The head of school died this morning of cancer. We knew she had cancer, but this was sudden.
We had to sit down and tell Benno. We didn’t want him to find out from someone else.
His response was full of questions from logistical (who will replace her?) to personal (is her husband going to remarry?) But he wasn’t upset. More annoyed. “Can’t they solve cancer? Everything has a solution.”
It felt out of thin air this whole belief that he said like fact. “Everything has a solution.” I wonder if he has heard me say it. Where did this come from? I guess its just logic. Even a 8 year old gets it.
He asked me if doctors are lazy. Why can’t they solve this? I told him NO. Doctors are healers. Medicine is the most noble profession in the world. And then gave the whole “its complicated” science answer. I’m sure it felt just as annoying as when people say it to me.
But then I turned it on him. Maybe its not solvable because it needs a certain mind. Maybe it’s waiting for your mind.
“Hmmm…maybe.” He said this with the same tone as this comment that I caught on video. He said it as if “of course this could be true. How could it not? I’m Benno Brody. I’m simply the best.” I love this moment of him playing with Jacob airport. I love how he looks in the mirror and sees the greatest thing ever. It captures this inner confidence that kids have.
This “I can conquer the world.”
This, “of course, I can cure cancer” attitude.
This “boy I am handsome!”
While also having fears that don’t allow him to attend birthday parties or go on trains. He builds glass planes.
Fascinating. Both in one human.
So I’m taking a moment to honor another life lost to cancer right now. An educator nonetheless. A woman who devoted her life to children. A life for sure missed. I also take this moment to remember what Benno said “everything has a solution.”
We will find a solution for this. Maybe it is right under our nose or rather our trunks (thanks Friend / Family of Nightwing for this interesting data). And maybe you have it.
But until then we mourn another victim of cancer.
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