Room to Breathe

After

Her Room, Her Rules

She met me at the door of her room and hesitated before opening it. I told her what I tell everyone: I’ve seen it all, and I’m not here to judge any of it. I’m just here to help.

Once we got started she didn’t stop. She had opinions about everything, which is exactly what you want. She knew which stuffed animals had earned their spot on the shelf and which ones she was ready to pass on. She knew what she wanted to be able to see every day and what could live in a drawer. She had things she wasn’t ready to let go of yet but wasn’t sure what to do with, and we figured that out too. There’s always a way to honor the stuff that matters without letting it take over.

By the time we were done, her room felt like hers in a way it hadn’t before. Not because it was perfect, but because every single decision had been made by the person who actually lives there. She did that. I just helped her see that she could.