Story 12: The Words That Didn’t Match
The market was busy.
Not loud.
Just full.
Voices moved like water.
Fast.
Different.
Amira held Mama’s hand tightly.
A woman smiled at her and said something Amira did not understand.
Amira hid her face.
“They sound strange,” she whispered.
Mama knelt beside her.
Not correcting.
Listening.
“They sound different,” Mama said.
“That can feel confusing.”
Amira watched the woman hand fruit to another child.
The child laughed.
The woman laughed back.
“They’re laughing,” Amira said.
“But I don’t know why.”
Mama nodded.
“You don’t need the words,” she said.
“Watch the faces.”
Amira looked again.
The eyes were kind.
The hands were gentle.
The woman noticed Amira watching.
She held out a date.
Just one.
Amira hesitated.
Mama stayed still.
Not pushing.
Amira took the date.
The woman placed her hand on her heart and smiled.
Amira smiled back.
Slowly.
The words still didn’t match.
But something else did.
As they walked away, Amira said,
“She was nice.”
Mama squeezed her hand.
“Yes,” she said.
“Kindness speaks many languages.”
🌿 A Quiet Moment for Parents
Understanding doesn’t always come through words.
Children learn safety
by watching how we stay calm with the unfamiliar.
💬 A Question to Ask Your Child
How did Amira know the woman was kind?
❤️ A Small Together Moment
Notice one person today.
Watch their face.
Notice how kindness looks.
Review The Way We Stay Story 12: The Words That Didn’t Match.