Sometimes you aren’t sure how to react. . .
or what to say.
I was sitting with my student one day when she told me that her cousin Robert came to school with her that day and was sitting at our table as we did our school work in math.
O.K.
This was a first.
“What cousin,” I asked politely.
“My cousin that got killed in the Fourth of July fire,” she said. “You know his house catched fire and all the family died. You remember,” she added.
I did remember hearing about a terrible fire that had taken the lives of children and adults in the home.
“Well, he decided to come with me today.”
After hearing her, I asked if she saw other ghosts.
“Yes, at night I see all the dead presidents standing around the end of my bed in a little circle like. They have their hands in their coats like this (she put her hand under her jacket over her heart) and they stare at me.”
“They don’t hurt you, do they?” I asked.
“Nope they just stand there. And at night I can hear scratching at my window!” She added with big round eyes.
“Maybe it’s a tree branch,” I suggested.
“No. It’s not. And if I stare in a mirror I see someone else in there with me!” She continued her tale of the supernatural, and what she sees.
I was concerned about her and although it didn’t seem like it bothered her that she had these experiences, and she didn’t seem afraid, I wasn’t sure what to do. I decided to talk with her parent about what was going on with her and see if they were upset, or what they thought.
We sat around the table and I asked her dad how he thought she was doing.
“O, she’s doing fine. Since that last operation she has felt much better. She likes learning her math,” he said rearing back in the chair. I hoped he didn’t totter over.
“Well, I wanted to check with you about something she said about seeing her dead cousin Robert and about his coming to school with her,” I began.
Laughing, her dad turned to me and said, “That Robert! I was cooking supper for ever’body the other night and that girl and Robert was running all over the house and came in the kitchen and near ‘bout turned over the skillet with the eggs in it! What a mess,” he continued, looking at me with a smile.
I realized I was looking for help in the wrong place.
As I continued to work with my student she did get better in math which delighted her, and she did talk less and less about the ghosts which delighted me.
Remembering this precious child and all those who continue to need the healing touch of Christ in their lives.
