Soon Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior.
Soon
Tommy
's
parents
,
who
had
recently
separated
,
would
arrive
for
a
conference
on
his
failing
schoolwork
and
bad
behavior
.
Neither parent knew that I had called the other.
Neither
parent
knew
that
I
had
called
the
other
.
Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative and an excellent student.
Tommy
,
an
only
child
,
had
always
been
happy
,
cooperative
and
an
excellent
student
.
How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and pending divorce?
How
could
I
convince
his
father
and
mother
that
his
recent
failing
grades
represented
a
broken-hearted
child
's
reaction
to
his
parents
'
separation
and
pending
divorce
?
Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs.
Tommy
's
mother
entered
and
took
one
of
the
chairs
.
Soon the father arrived.
Soon
the
father
arrived
.
Good!
Good
!
At least they were concerned enough to be here in time.
At
least
they
were
concerned
enough
to
be
here
in
time
.
They ignored each other.
They
ignored
each
other
.
As I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son.
As
I
gave
a
detailed
account
of
Tommy
's
behavior
and
schoolwork
,
I
prayed
for
the
right
words
to
bring
these
two
together
to
help
them
see
what
they
were
doing
to
their
son
.
But somehow the words wouldn't come.
But
somehow
the
words
would
n't
come
.
Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?
Perhaps
if
they
saw
one
of
his
dirty
,
carelessly
done
papers
?
I found a sheet in the back of his desk.
I
found
a
sheet
in
the
back
of
his
desk
.
Writing covered both sides: not the assignment, but a single sentence scribbled over and over.
Writing
covered
both
sides
:
not
the
assignment
,
but
a
single
sentence
scribbled
over
and
over
.
Silently I gave it to Tommy's mother.
Silently
I
gave
it
to
Tommy
's
mother
.
She read it and then handed it to her husband.
She
read
it
and
then
handed
it
to
her
husband
.
Then his face softened.
Then
his
face
softened
.
At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand.
At
last
he
folded
the
paper
carefully
,
placed
it
in
his
pocket
,
and
reached
for
his
wife
's
hand
.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him.
She
wiped
the
tears
from
her
eyes
and
smiled
up
at
him
.
He helped her with her coat and they left together.
He
helped
her
with
her
coat
and
they
left
together
.
In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family.
In
his
own
way
God
had
given
me
the
words
to
reunite
that
family
.
He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain out pouring of a small boy's troubled heart.
He
had
guided
me
to
the
sheet
of
yellow
copy
paper
covered
with
the
pain
out
pouring
of
a
small
boy
's
troubled
heart
.
The words are "Dear Mom...Dear Daddy ...
The
words
are
``
Dear
Mom
...
Dear
Daddy
...
I love you ..."
I
love
you
...
''
Soon Tommy's parents, who had recently separated, would arrive for a conference on his failing schoolwork and bad behavior. Neither parent knew that I had called the other.  Tommy, an only child, had always been happy, cooperative and an excellent student. How could I convince his father and mother that his recent failing grades represented a broken-hearted child's reaction to his parents' separation and pending divorce?  Tommy's mother entered and took one of the chairs. Soon the father arrived. Good! At least they were concerned enough to be here in time. They ignored each other.  As I gave a detailed account of Tommy's behavior and schoolwork, I prayed for the right words to bring these two together to help them see what they were doing to their son. But somehow the words wouldn't come. Perhaps if they saw one of his dirty, carelessly done papers?  I found a sheet in the back of his desk. Writing covered both sides: not the assignment, but a single sentence scribbled over and over.  Silently I gave it to Tommy's mother. She read it and then handed it to her husband. Then his face softened.  At last he folded the paper carefully, placed it in his pocket, and reached for his wife's hand. She wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at him. He helped her with her coat and they left together.  In his own way God had given me the words to reunite that family. He had guided me to the sheet of yellow copy paper covered with the pain out pouring of a small boy's troubled heart.  The words are "Dear Mom...Dear Daddy ... I love you ..."