“I am so small,” said the boy. “Yes, but you make a huge difference. What do you want to be when you grow up?” she asked. “Kind”, said the boy.
“What do you think success is?” asked the boy. “To love,” she said.
“Do you have a favourite saying?” asked the boy. “Yes, I do. If at first you don’t succeed, have some cake.” “Does it work?” “Every time,” she said.
“What do you think is the biggest waste of time?” asked the boy. “Comparing yourself to others. I wonder if there is a school of unlearning. Most of the time I wish I had listened less to my fears and more to my dreams,” she said.
“What is that over there?” asked the boy while pointing at the distance. “It is the wild,” she said. “Don’t fear it. Imagine how we would be if we were less afraid.”
“One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things. I have learned how to be in the present,” she said. “How?”, asked the boy. “I find a quiet spot and shut my eyes and breathe. Then I focus,” she said. “What do you focus on?” “Cake,” she said.
“Isn’t it odd. We can only see our outsides, but nearly everything happens on the inside,” she said.
“So many beautiful things we need to look after. Being kind to yourself is one of the greatest kindnesses,” he said. “We often wait of kindness… but being kind to yourself can start now,” she said.
“Often the hardest person to forgive is yourself,” she said.
“Sometimes I feel lost,” said the boy. “Me too,” she said, “but I love you, and love brings you home. Always. I think everyone is just trying to get home,” she added.
“Doing nothing with my friends is never doing nothing, is it?” asked the boy. “No,” she said.
“I fell and it hurts,” he said and cried. “You fell, but I have got you,” she said. “Everyone is a bit scared to try new things but we are less scared together. Tears fall for a reason and they are your strength not weakness,” she said.
“What is the bravest thing you have ever said?” asked the boy. “Help,” she said.
“When have you been at your strongest?” asked the boy. “When I have dared to show my weakness. Asking for help isn’t giving up. It is refusing to give up,” she said.
“My teacher said we all need a reason to keep going. What is yours?” he asked. “You,” she said.
“I have discovered something better than cake,” he said. “What is it?” she asked. “A hug. It lasts longer,” he said.
“Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent,” she said.
“How do these ducks look so together and perfect while floating around?” he asked. “There is a lot of frantic paddling going on beneath. The greatest illusion is that life should be perfect. Because it is not. Always be curious,” she said.
“Sometimes I think you believe in me more than I do,” said the boy. “You will catch up,” she said.
“A friend of mine never really speaks a lot and I asked him why,” said the boy. “He said that he often feels that he has nothing interesting to say,” he added. “But being honest is always interesting. There is never nothing going on,” she said.
“Sometimes all you hear about is hate but there is more love in this world than you could possibly imagine,” she said.
“Is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the boy. “I think I am grateful to have a glass,” she said.
“What will happen tomorrow if my friend does not show up?” he asked. “We don’t know about tomorrow. We will see. All we need to do is focus on the here and now,” she said.
“When the dark clouds come, keep going,” she said. “What do you mean?” he asked. “When the big things feel out of control, focus on what you love right under your nose. You! This storm will pass,” she said.
“We still have such a long way to go,” sighed the boy. “Yes, but look how far we have come,” she said.
“What is your best discovery?” asked the boy. “That I am enough as I am,” she said.
“What do we do when our hearts hurt?” asked the boy. “We wrap them with friendship, shared tears and time, till they wake hopeful and happy again,” she said.
“Do you have one more advice?” asked the boy. “Don’t measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated. Always remember you matter, you are important and you are loved and you bring to this world things no one else can,” she said.
