SuperHERO

in this age of superhumans, i think we have a superboy.

boy one, boy three, and boy four were outside playing ball. boy two was sitting at his study table, busy with his coloring pages. his mom and i just finished breakfast, and we were getting ready for work. mom was making her checklists of things to accomplish today (it was an impressive list!). i was sitting quietly, thinking of my patients.

from outside, i heard a loud bounce, and a cry from one of the boys. boy one said, sorry, sorry, sorry.

boy two, without even looking up, said, mommy, kuya hit boy three and he said sorry.

mom asked, what are you talking about?

he hit boy three, he said again, and he said sorry.

why did he say sorry? mom wanted to know.

because he accidentally hit him, he explained.

it amused me to see this scene unfolding. he was at the study corner with his back to mom, coloring. mom was completing her list. and by the ambient sounds he heard, he understood what happened outside the house without seeing it unfold.

what a super power!

i think it’s called empathy. it’s his gift. it’s what we want to nurture and develop in him.

this boy who would jump in front of his angry father, to protect his errant kuya. he didn’t mean it, he would say. please don’t send him to the corner.

he would cry when his brothers get a wound.

he would jump with joy, because his kuya won a game, even if it was at his expense.

the wonderful, emphatic, heart-on-his-sleeve boy. my very own superHERO.