Adam's Wave

Adam and his mum were walking through the park on a sunny afternoon when he noticed an old man sitting on a bench. The man was talking to himself and making strange hand gestures. Curious and a bit concerned, Adam tugged on his mum’s sleeve.

"Mum, why is that old man acting so strangely?" he asked.

His mum looked over at the man and smiled gently. "Adam, sometimes life can be tough for people, and they have different ways of coping."

Tommy frowned, not quite understanding. "What do you mean, Mum?"

"Well," she began, as they sat down on a nearby bench, "let me tell you a story."

Once upon a time, a boy named Ben lived in a small town. Ben was cheerful and loved playing outside with his friends. But one day, something sad happened. Ben’s best friend, his dog Jojo, got very sick and went to doggy heaven. Ben was heartbroken.

To help himself feel better, Ben started talking to a little tree in his backyard. He imagined the tree was his friend, and he would tell it all his secrets and how much he missed Jojo. Talking to the tree made Ben feel less lonely and helped him cope with his sadness.

Tommy listened intently. "So, talking to the tree helped Ben?"

"Yes," his mum replied. "Just like Ben, people find different ways to deal with difficult times. That old man might have gone through something very tough in his life, and talking to himself or making gestures might be his way of feeling better."

Adam looked back at the old man and saw him in a new light. "I guess everyone has their own special way of coping, right Mum?"

"Exactly, Adam," she said, hugging him close. "It's important to be kind and understanding, even when we don’t fully understand what someone else is going through."

Adam smiled. "Thanks, Mum. I’ll remember that."

As they walked away, Adam gave the old man a little wave, feeling a warm glow in his heart. He knew that everyone had their own story and that a bit of kindness could make a big difference.

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