The Boy Who Drew a Well

Upon returning from a retreat I conducted, a woman told her 10-year-old son about me. He then said to her, “I want to meet the master!”

A few months later, we met. I was expecting him to have much to say, but he just sat there quietly. After waiting for a while, I said, “Do you have anything to tell me?”

He took deep breath and went, “Hhaihhhh….”

I waited for him to say something after that, but he just sat there. I waited a while longer, then said, “If you have anything, just tell me.”

He took another deep breath and went, “Hhaihhhh….”

I waited and waited, and still nothing else came out of him. Obviously he came to see me for a reason, but he wasn’t saying it. So, what was I supposed to do?

Then, I remembered something I happened to read about just about two weeks ago: art therapy. So, I gave him a piece of paper and a pen. (I wasn’t prepared with colouring stuff.) And I said, “Whatever you want to draw, just draw.” Then I left him alone.

After a while, I went over and looked at what he drew. I wasn’t very sure what it was, so I asked him, “What is this?”

“It’s a well.”

Wow! He spoke! I asked further, “Is there any water in it?”

“No. It’s dried up.”

“Does this well represent you?”

“I suppose so.”

My heart sank a little, then I asked, “Are you thinking of dying?”

He nodded.

We then just sat there quietly.

After some time, I asked, “Anything else you want to tell me?”

“No more.”

“Okay then.”

Then he got up and left.

Then, I took a deep breath and went, “Hhaihhhh….”

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