Do you have trouble eating?

It’s been a serious week with some deep and revealing discussions, so I thought I would tell a funny story and give all of us a break.  It’s a true story, but the details have been changed to protect the innocent, as they say on television.

Some years back I was working with a group of academics researching childhood depression, especially after divorce.  We had a set number of questions to ask elementary school children.  I was working with a darling little girl, very dainty but sure of herself.  She sat up straight and reflected seriously on each question before she answered with complete candor and amazing composure.

I asked about school, friendships, then moved into the realm of physical sensations and health.  I asked carefully constructed questions about sleep patterns, night fears, all that fun stuff.  Answer after answer, my little darling was cool, calm, collected and seemingly very well adjusted.

“Do you have trouble eating?”

Vigorous head nodding indicated an affirmative answer.  It was the first passionate response she had given me.

I repeated the question.  “Do you have trouble eating?”

“Yeth”, she said.  “See!”

She pointed to the gap in her smile where her baby teeth used to be.

Trouble eating, indeed.

Have a lovely weekend filled with sunshine, joy and laughter.  And no trouble eating.

Chris