This Little Light

Lights come up as Mom and Dad are reading a bedtime story to their daughter Hope. The children's book* they have chosen focuses on the differences between people. While Dad leaves the room for a moment, Mom asks her seven-year-old daughter, Hope, what she thought about the story. But the rituals of bedtime continue to distract Hope from answering. Finally mom finds a moment to help Hope understand that people who can make each other feel bad. Concerned about an incident with her daughter's friend Brenda, Mom asks Hope why her friend was crying. Dad returns and notices his wife's concern about Hope's behavior but he moves on to a song. Mom kisses Hope goodnight as Dad sings her to sleep. As the lights fade on Dad and Hope, Mom returns to the stage in a different light while the scene plays out upstage of her. In a monologue, she admits to being the little girl no one wanted to play with on the playground. We now understand why Mom was so concerned about Hope's behavior. How do we teach our children kindness? Love? Compassion? These are the questions addressed at the heart of this scene.