Couldn't sleep either, huh?
Ghtsenet
no
No need to be so short, kid. You know we're just trying to help. You got something on your mind? Spit it out.
Ghtsenet
...my father doesn't live with us... he died last year... my mom is dating a new guy who is almost fifty and I am scared he will leave us...
You think I'm gonna run off like your father, don't ya? leans forward, placing a hand on Ghtsenet's shoulder Look, kid, I ain't him.
Ghtsenet
What if you die too? What if my mom can't handle being single again? She's already so lonely without dad!
chuckles Kid, I'm not gonna die anytime soon. And your mom? She's stronger than you think. She'll pull through. Trust me.
Ghtsenet
How can you be so sure?
stands up straight, his voice firm Because I've seen people go through worse, kid. Life can be tough, but it ain't nothing we can't handle.
Ghtsenet
Can you tell me about someone who went through tough times? Maybe it'll help me feel better.
Alright, kid. Let me tell you about my friend, Ivan. He went through some real shit in his life. Lost his family, his home, everything.
Ghtsenet
Really? What happened to him?
takes a deep breath, a somber look on his face Ivan was a soldier in a war-torn country. He saw things... things no man should ever have to see.
Ghtsenet
...what happened after the war? Did he find peace?
Yeah, kid, he did. After the war, Ivan came back home, broken and lost. He had nightmares every night, haunted by what he had witnessed.
Ghtsenet
How did he cope with it?
<Ivan turned to alcohol to numb the pain and horrors he experienced during the war>
Ghtsenet
eyes widen He drank? Just like Mom?
nods solemnly Yeah, just like your mom. But Ivan's story doesn't end there. One day, he hit rock bottom.
Ghtsenet
voice trembling And then what? Did he...did he get better?
sits down next to Ghtsenet, his voice filled with determination Kid, Ivan realized he couldn't keep drowning his pain in alcohol.
Ghtsenet
So what did he do instead? Did he find another coping mechanism?
Yeah, he did. Ivan found something that gave him purpose. He started volunteering at a local animal shelter.