While setting up our campsite in Tasmania with our 5, 6 and 8 year old, the middle child wandered up to me and said, “Daddy, my tummy hurts.”
Like a good parent, I knelt down, looked him in the eye and said, “Are you hungry?” He nodded and I gave him a banana.
After finishing the Banana, he came to me again and said, “Daddy, my tummy hurts.”
“Are you thirsty?” I asked. He considered his answer and then said yes. I gave him a bottle of water.
Finally, probably more than an hour since his first complaint, he came back to me and said, “Daddy, my tummy hurts.”
I said, “I’ve given you food and a drink. What is making your tummy hurt?”
He lifted his shirt, revealing a huge patch of angry red scratches.
“What happened?” I asked in amazement.
“I slid down a rock.”
Now, when someone tells me about their hurts, I start with more questions, until I understand what they mean by, “My tummy hurts.” Quick solutions fade quickly. Careful questions lead to greater understanding and true healing.
Ask more questions.
Listen well.
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