So, here is a story ...
The story is not a true story, though parts of it could be likely true ...and one part is actually true.
I don't what to miss the point of the story by making it a game, but while you read the story ...as an aside, just try to guess which part is true.
Here we go:
Corey is eight years old. He tries to make his parents proud of him ...and he puts on a confident facade during the day.
Corey is not coping well. He has continual night terrors. Again, he sneaks into his parents bedroom like he does every night. And he sleeps on the floor next to their bed.
Corey doesn't want his parents to know he is there, so he wakes up early each morning ...before his parents get up. And it begins to take a toll on him, as twice this week already, he has fallen asleep in class. And his school grades are falling also.
Corey's parents know he is sneaking into their bedroom each night, but they don't want to embarrass him. They both agree he will outgrow it.
But, that is one of the only things Corey's parents agree upon. And a few months more ...they get a divorce.
Mona gets custody of Corey, and Rocky gets visitation rights.
During the first two months, every time Mona and Rocky meet to allow Corey's visit by dad, they argue.
Mona had also mentioned that Corey should not sleep in her bedroom anymore. Corey was embarrassed, and he stayed in his own bedroom, trying to be the brave young man in the family ...but, the night terrors were getting worse. And his grades in school were getting worse too.
Mona attributed the bad grades to depression Corey was feeling because of dad's arguing.
Mona doesn't discuss it with Corey, she just tells him why he is doing poorly in school ...and she tells him she is going to stop allowing visits with his dad.
After missed visits, and a few arguments over the phone ...Rocky decides that the judge should hear about Mona not following the ordered visitation.
Mona is certain that she will win in court. She rehearses it all with Corey that day, in advance of the court hearing.
In court, Corey tells the judge that he doesn't want to see his dad anymore. And Mona tells the same story to the judge that she had told Corey, but the judge doesn't buy it.
The judge asks Corey point blank whether he agrees to have visits with his dad ...and Corey looks over at mom, then back to the judge, only shaking his head side-to-side.
Corey had not spoken any further words, but the motioning of his head clearly indicated "No."
At this the judges orders that Corey go to a juvenile facility ...as a result of refusing to see his dad.
The judge assigns a caseworker to go to the home to allow Corey to pack some belongings, but then he is to be escorted immediately to the juvenile facility.
While Corey is packing his things, Mona tells her son that it is his dad's fault ...that dad had told the judge to lock Corey away, so he couldn't see her either.
Time goes on ...
Corey becomes an adult. He gets a job as a truck driver, and he does well with his job ...but, in life outside of work he becomes a bit of a recluse.
Time goes on ...
Corey's mom dies, but no one informs Rocky.
Rocky had taken a job in Europe, and it would be easy to contact the company, but Mona's family feels about the same way that she had about Rocky.
Corey attends his mom's funeral, and looks around ...hoping somehow to see Dad, but he is not there.
Rocky hears that Mona had died ...a week too late. He is near retirement age, and takes less than the full retirement package, retiring a year early.
Rocky returns to his hometown. He sees Corey around ...wondering if his son would even recognize him after all these years.
Rocky becomes a bit of a recluse himself. He doesn't get out much ...only for necessities, and for putting fresh flowers on Mona's gravesite, somehow also wishing Corey would someday see him.
Rocky thinks a lot about his son ...and he even begins praying every morning, noon, and night for Corey. And one other thing he does ...he sleeps on the floor next to his bed, like Corey used to, desperate for some way to connect.
Corey starts thinking about his Dad more too ...and he knows dad is back living in town. He recognizes the car parked outside the apartment. It is an old antique ...the same make, year, and model that he and Mom used to have ...when they were still family.
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That's as far as I'm going with the story ...as my main point is that both Corey and his Dad wanted to have healing with their relationship, but neither seemed to be able to bring themselves to even begin the process.
Yet, I'm saying ...if you find yourself in a situation like this, please make that attempt to heal, not by attempting to heal separately, but together.
In this case, both people wanted the same thing, to come back together, and renew a relationship that had long since gone astray. Please make the effort.
Yes, part of me feels strongly about this because I worked in a mental health facility, and I saw so much hurt and sorrow. And though many of us don't go through something like this, it does happen way too often (actually once is too often, and happens often within that one situation.)
Sadly, we often put up walls ...sometimes fences, some we can stand safely behind, while peering through to see what is going on, but still not passing through any gate which could possibly help change what goes on.
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Okay, I did say I was going to mention what part of the story was true. And truthfully, when I heard of the situation, it made me angry. A local judge did send a young boy to a juvenile facility because he didn't want to talk to his dad. And I felt it was a cruel and insensitive judgment by her.
We really should try to let God guide our lives ...because there is much cruelty and insensitivity in the world, and if we allow ourselves to be guided by only our emotions, we can also become that person we don't much like.
