Tommy's Story

So what do you do when not everyone can use the same advice you did for overcoming stress to get a goal done? Each person is different in how they stress, why they stress, and what solutions should be taken to cure stress.

Tommy came up to Phillip to ask him a question. Phillip had learned to cope with stress and he wanted to know how he did it. They talked for a bit before Tommy asked “Phillip you have parents that helped you out. What if your parents don’t help you. I mean what if all they do is fight and bicker all day long. They would rather do that then deal with your problems?” Tommy could tell Phillip was taken aback by this. His parents did love him and didn’t fight. Tommy wondered what that must have been like.

You See, Tommy was failing his classes just like Phillip was doing. Only, Tommy had other problems to follow, different ones then Phillip. Tommy came from a broken family. He had an older sister and a younger brother. He was always protecting his younger brother and his older sister was always picking on him.

His parents were always fighting and screaming. It was hard for him to concentrate and his younger brother always wanted to be near him. He knew it was for safety but he hardly had a time to be alone, let alone a time to be quiet. His parents always made him do the chores in the house. His sister would go off do whatever she wanted as she yelled back at her parents. His mother blamed their daughters attitude on the father and the Father would just get up and leave. Tommy learned that he was the one that everyone took things out on. Whenever there was a fight and Tommy was near be got the brunt of things. He had to take care of it, as well as whatever else that was needed.

I am a Cinderella …er Cinderfella he wrote in his journal. I am tired of all this mess. I am tired of the fights, sleepless nights, the attitudes, the tears, the throwing things, the cleaning things. One of these days I am going to go far away from here and never come back. His younger brother walked into the room with a tear down his face. “Come on over” he said. His younger brother sat down next to him saying “My ears are hurting” Tommy reached over and hugged his little brother as he listened to his parents bicker about money. One of these days he thought.

At school things were only worse. His parents had so many teacher parent conferences about their kids grades that they would call them stupid, dumb. The teachers were getting upset that they were not getting passing grades and some of the kids would avoid going near well him. Why does my life have to be like this? He thought as he walked to school one day. He had his little brother hanging on to his every move. He feared of becoming angry like his parents, he feared of hurting his children like they did with him and his siblings. He feared of not being able to get money to leave.

I have to find a way to get money, so that I and my brother can leave here. I need to find away to get out of this mess. I can’t keep having headaches all the time. And Joshy (little brother) needs to see the doctor. Why can’t they become parents? Why can’t they take responsibility? Tommy felt his chest tighten and a hard pain ran through it. He stopped breathing for a second as he grabbed his chest. A few moments later the pain and left. His little brother watched with a scared look on his face “Tommy are you ok?” all Tommy could do was just nod.

What a scary moment!!! Can you imagine having pain going through you? Or having to protect your little brother all the time? Can you imagine having to hear your parents fight all the time or the thought of running away? For some this is all too familiar. There are many things going on in Tommy’s life. I wonder how he is going to handle the stress he has.

Well to find out lets come back tomorrow and see

~Hugs Keyria~

So do not fear for I am with you, Do not tremble for I am the Lord. I will strengthen you and keep you safe and protected. Isaiah 41:10