Panic at the bus stop
by Kristin Beckstrom Radcliffe on 11/13/13This morning, the second in a short week, Wynne awoke continuing to nurse her nasty cold (here's hoping the rest of us don't get it). Bravely setting out for the bus, she donned her heavier coat, hat and gloves for the 28 degree temps. I found it curious she didn't protest as "the cool kids" didn't wear jackets, let alone hats and gloves to stay warm. Made me smile as I watched her turn and wave, first one side then the other.
Returning back inside to get her newly 8 year old brother ready for his day, I snuggled him and got him into his now daily morning shower. Being upstairs, I didn't hear my phone and her panicked message left. After nearly 30 minutes, the bus had not yet shown up. As I listened to the message, she walked in the door, full of anxiousness about getting to school on time.
For the record, think what you will, but this is one of those times I am glad she has a no frills cell phone. It gave her an ability to connect with me, to hopefully ease her worry. Alas, that didn't stop panic from setting in. As quickly as we could, Kaeden dressed and brought his pop tart to the car, getting us there in plenty of time.
Every day, the unexpected happens. Curve balls are thrown in our days. This is just one of those moments where I realize for Wynne, the mental angst that occurs in seemingly small changes, is different than you or I. She projected at her brother and me, but was able to regroup enough to not let the incident disrupt her entire day or lead to a truly debilitating bout with anxiety. Progress has been made, but today, there was still panic at the bus stop.
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