101 Healing Stories for Kids and Teens

he began to wonder how he might help and that led him to remember there were some spare, un-
used blankets in their garage. So he went to his father and asked if he could take them to the people
downtown who had no homes to go to for the night.
Tr evor’s father might have thought the request a bit strange. It is easy for us to want to hang on
to the things that we have, easy for adults to think that they’ve worked hard to get what they own,
so why should they give it away? I guess it is much the same as a kid thinking, It took a long time to save
up my pocket money to help buy this new bike, so why should I lend it to a friend who needs to get home in a
hurry?
Now, Trevor’s dad was a kind-hearted guy. He drove Trevor downtown to hand out their few
surplus blankets to some of the people on the streets. I guess when it came time to curl up and sleep
that night the people were pretty happy for the added warmth of the new blankets.
Tr evor was happy, too. He felt good about giving out the blankets. He felt an inner warmth, al-
most like he had been wrapped up in an emotional blanket himself. But he realized there was a risk—
it might feel so good that you’d want to do it again.
The next day Trevor went to his local grocery store and other public places in his neighborhood
where there were notice boards. He put up signs asking for people to donate any spare blankets or
food they didn’t need. The result was surprising. Kindness was contagious. Trevor found so many
people were willing to help that within a week he had filled his dad’s garage with food and blankets.
What Trevor had started with his kindness grew and spread throughout the community. It wasn’t long
before people’s generosity overflowed from his dad’s garage and Trevor and his dad had to look for a
bigger building to house all the gifts being donated. Would you believe there are now a number of
special warehouses throughout Philadelphia that stock food and blankets to feed and warm the home-
less? They are all called “Trevor’s Place.”

STORY 4

FEED WHAT YOU WANT TO GROW

Therapeutic Characteristics

Problems Addressed

■ Feelings of inner conflict

■ Struggling between others and self

■ Kindness versus greed

■ Love versus hatred

Resources Developed

■ Developing awareness of the conflict

■ Separating out the struggle

■ Nurturing what you want to grow

■ Building responsibility

50 Healing Stories, Teaching Stories