When I was a kid Kerplunk was my favorite game. There was a cylinder with holes in the center, you stuck plastic sticks into those holes and create a barrier separating the top from the bottom. At the top you would insert marbles. The sticks would keep the marbles from falling completely to the bottom. You would play with at least 2 people. When it was you turn you would pull one stick out at a time then switch to the next person. Soon enough marbles will start falling. Whoever has the least number of marbles fallen on their turn wins the game.
I played that game every night. I was an only child so my parents played with me. I tried playing at school but I asked so much the other kids started making fun of me. It made me upset. I went home and cried.
"Ally sweetie." Mommy said "crying won't always solve your problems. It makes you look weaker. It helps to find a way to feel angry and let our your anger instead. I do it all the time."
I took mommy's advice. What I did was started writing down names on a list. I didn't know what I was going to do but I was going to find out.
One day I came home. I walk through the kitchen and no one seems to greet me. I was 12 at the time so it wasn't such a big deal.
Soon mommy comes down stairs breathing heavily. She had just taken a shower.
"Sweetie your home!"
"Weres daddy?"
"Oh honey, he made me angry and I took my anger out on him. He's ok though. He won't visite us again but it's OK." She puts down a long knife while talking. It was clean and I wondered why she had it.
"Um ok?"
"He said goodbye and he loves you but he didn't need to stay."
"Ok"
By that time I didn't have any emotions. No sadness. No anger. Nothin. It felt normal. I continued on my day.
"Sweetie? Can you help me?" I hear mommy call from upstairs.
"Yes" I run upstairs and she's dragging a large bag that could almost fit someone in it. We carry it downstairs and into the car. The bag was super heavy but we managed. We went to the dump and disposed the bag.
"What was in that bag?" I ask
"Daddys remains" she replies
I didn't understand what that meant. But it was ok. It all was ok.
