The Unheard Worry: A Puppy Kisses Story
The Beginning
Tess had been working on a special drawing for a week. It was a picture of the whole Puppy Pack, flying through a starry sky on a giant, magical book. She had used her favorite glitter pens and had gotten the colors just right.
The Problem
As she was packing her bag after school, her water bottle tipped over. A big, bubbly puddle soaked the bottom of her backpack. Tess’s heart sank. She quickly pulled out the drawing. The bottom corner was ruined! The ink was smudged, and the paper was warped and crinkly. Tears pricked at her eyes.
The Build-Up
The next day, she wanted to tell her friends what had happened. At recess, she approached Cora and Zach, but they were busy talking about a video game championship. Later, she saw Scarlett and Emily, but they were excited about Emily’s new story illustrations. Tess’s shoulders slumped. Her sadness felt heavy and unheard, like her feelings were invisible. Feeling dejected, she went to sit on a bench by herself.
The Big Moment (The Turning Point)
A few moments later, Jacob sat down next to her, his camera around his neck. He didn’t say anything at first. Then he asked, “You look like you have a story to tell, Tess. But not a happy one. What’s up?”
Finally, someone was asking. Someone was ready to listen. The lump in Tess’s throat dissolved as she told him everything—about the weeks of work, the tipped-over water bottle, and the smudged, ruined corner.
Winding Down
Jacob didn’t interrupt. He didn’t try to solve the problem. He just listened. When she was done, he nodded thoughtfully. “That’s really tough,” he said. “It’s okay to be sad when something you worked so hard on gets damaged.”
Just hearing him say that made Tess feel a million times better. Her sadness didn’t disappear, but it felt lighter, as if she had shared the weight of it.
The End (The Lesson Learned)
“Thanks, Jacob,” she said, managing a small smile. “Thanks for listening.”
Jacob learned something important that day. Being a journalist was about finding stories, but being a friend was about making time to listen to them. Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can do for someone isn’t to give advice, but simply to offer a listening ear.
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