The Philosophy of Sad Times

 Veronika found Jolena crying.

"What's the matter, Jolena?" Veronika asked.

Jolena explained that her teacher had told her she should read the newspaper a little bit each day to find out what is going on in the world. "There's so much bad stuff going on!" Jolena exclaimed. "Dolls are supposed to guide and comfort children, but how can we do that when so many terrible and scary things are happening?"

"What are you reading about, Jolena?" Veronika asked quietly.

"I'm reading about how children far away are starving because there is a war or because the weather was bad," she replied. 

"That's very sad," Veronika agreed. "I can see why you're upset."

"Then," Jolena continued, "there are children locked up because their families had to run from danger where they lived and they came into this country without permission."

"That's very sad, too," Veronika said.
"I was reading in another section of the paper," Jolena said, "that there's a little boy who is very sick. He needs doctors to help him get well, but his parents don't have enough money." She paused to take a breath.

"Then there was a family of children who were in a big car wreck. They are going to be OK, but they had broken bones. That must hurt!"

"I can see why that would make you upset, Jolena," Veronika agreed.
"What I want to know more than anything," Jolena said, "is what did these children do to deserve being hungry or locked up or sick or in pain?" 

Veronika sighed. "They didn't do anything to deserve what has happened to them," she said. "Sometimes bad things happen to good people, even children," she said. 

"You mean," Jolena asked, "like when Mariah was being bullied at school because her vinyl is a dark color? That made her sad, and it wasn't fair, because Mariah is beautiful and a nice doll."

Veronika nodded.
"Or," Jolena went on, "is it like when some other dolls were picking on Charlotte because she's Jewish? That made Charlotte unhappy, but being Jewish is a good thing and Charlotte is a sweet doll." 

"Yes," Veronika agreed. "In some cases of bad things happening, someone is at fault. Children and dolls should never pick on others for any reason, certainly not because that child or doll is different from them. We need to figure out how to teach these children to be kind and not bully others."

"Why do children and dolls bully others," Jolena asked.
"There could be many reasons," Veronika explained. "Sometimes they are afraid of anyone who is different."

"Sometimes," Veronika continued, "someone bigger has picked on them, and they think it will make them feel better to do that to someone else."
"Is that why people start wars or lock up children?" Jolena asked with a sniff.

"People start wars because they can't work out their problems. I don't know why people lock up children who come into the country without permission. Maybe some people are afraid of them because they are different."

"Some bad things that happen, though, are no one's fault," Veronika went on. "We don't know why bad things happen. Maybe there is a purpose in everything, and we just don't understand what it is."
"I feel so sad," Jolena said. "How do you live with the sadness?"

"Do you remember who my favorite philosopher (fil-AW-suh-fer) is?" Veronika asked.
"Mister Rogers!" exclaimed Jolena. "I remember, because I often see you reading his book. You told us a philosopher is a wise person who thinks things through and figures things out."

"Yes," Veronika agreed, "and Mr. Rogers had something to say about what to do when you see bad things happening to good people. It was something his mother taught him when he was a child. She told him to look for the helpers," Veronika explained. "Whenever there are scary things happening, there are always people trying to help. It's OK to be scared and upset, Jolena. It makes me scared and upset, too, but if you look, you will always see people and dolls trying to help."

"I could be a helper!" Jolena cried!

"Of course you could," Veronika agreed. "We can't fix everything or help everyone, but when we see a child needing comfort or needing to act out something scary they have seen or heard about, we can help them do that. We can help them understand that it's OK to be upset. In fact, we're doing that right now!"

"We raise money for children who are sick," Jolena pointed out. "That's being a helper."

"Yes," Veronika said, "and we try to teach children how to work out problems with other children, so they will get along with others when they grow up. Maybe we're even helping prevent another war someday."
"We set a good example for children," Jolena pointed out, "so they won't pick on other children."

"Yes. We show children that we are all different," Veronika agreed. "Then maybe they won't be afraid of someone just because that person is different in some way."

"I feel a little better," Jolena said. "I just wish I could understand why bad things happen."
"There are more things in heaven and earth than are thought of in your philosophy (fil-AW-suh-fee)." Veronika said. "That's a line from a play called Hamlet," she explained. "It was written by a human man named William Shakespeare. That line means that we will never know everything, no matter how much we learn and no matter how much we think things through."

Jolena thought for a moment. "I think I understand why Mr. Rogers told the story about his mother," she said. "Instead of trying to explain something that can't be explained, his story gives us something we can do. We can look for people who help, and we can help, too."

Veronika nodded again. "We can help, and real children can help, even in small ways, and when they grow up they can help in big ways."
"We just need to practice while we're little," Jolena agreed.
"We're always little," Veronika laughed, "but children grow up and become big."

"Why can't we grow up and become big," Jolena wanted to know.
"That's easy," said Veronika. We are small because children need us to be small. It's a good thing. We are always smaller than they are, and we will never grow up and leave them. We will be there as long as they need us."

"Just the way you're always here when I need you," Jolena said. "You're teaching me how to be a helper."
Veronika gave Jolena a hug. It was the only way she could say what she was feeling.

Then Veronika picked up the paper and found the story about the children who were in the car wreck. 

"Look here," she said. "It says that some people saw the accident and stopped to help. Four of the people work in the emergency room at the hospital and were riding home from work in the same car. They knew just what to do to keep the children and their parents comfortable until they could be taken to the hospital. While they were doing that, other people were waving cars away so there wouldn't be another accident." She looked at Jolena. "Those are the helpers," she said. "Every story has them."

"We just have to look," Jolena agreed.
Veronika reached over and picked up the big box of tissues. She offered one to Jolena.

"Here," she said, "dry your eyes. I don't know how you have real tears, but if they get down inside your head, they might mess up your eyes, and they might have to be replaced."
"How do they do that?" Jolena asked as she wiped her eyes.
"It isn't fun," Veronika explained. "They have to remove your head."

Special note to readers: You may have noticed that Veronika is wearing shoes while sitting on the bed. Her shoes are clean, because she's a doll. She would like you to know it's best to take your shoes off before you get on the bed.

Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend

Special Note to Adults: This story is not intended to be a political statement. It is a story for children. Reasons for children and dolls to be sad were taken from current events. 

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