When Someone Begins to Exist
A simple, true account of how small acts, listening, remembering and considering, can change someone from the inside out.
Airton Humber · 31/03/26 · 2 min de leitura
Before understanding, a person needs to exist.
On Sunday, small things happened.
So small that they could easily have gone unnoticed.
But they did not.
A twelve-year-old boy.
His younger brother, nine.
They are brothers.
They lost their mother about five years ago.
Both of them have a lot of difficulty communicating.
The younger one hardly speaks. He is very restless.
When he tries to speak, he stumbles over his words.
On Sunday, I did something very simple.
I told them to speak very slowly. Very slowly.
And I told them something:
I am fast too. I still am.
When I speak, I stumble over my words.
And, so I won't stumble, I speak as if I were in slow motion.
They started practicing with me.
No pressure. No correction.
Just repeating… so sweetly.
And the younger one started talking to me.
I always bring esfiha and soda at the end of the meetings. I have done this for many years.
But he had never eaten esfiha.
The week before, I asked him why.
He said:
— I don't like it.
I asked:
— Do you prefer hot dogs?
He said yes.
On Sunday, before the meeting started, I remembered him.
I said:
— Today I'm going to order hot dogs, because you like them.
And that is what I did.
He ate.
With joy.
At the end of the meeting, something even simpler happened.
A girl of about seven had left before getting a banana sweet that I also bring.
I asked if someone could take it to her.
They said she lived on the other side. Close, but on the other side.
At that moment, the younger one said:
— Let me take it.
He took the sweet.
He went.
He delivered it.
He came back.
Completely happy.
When it was time to pay the bill on my phone, something curious happened.
I received a message saying that the owner of the snack bar had made a courtesy and would not charge me for the soda.
I don't know who she is.
Or the reason.
I don't usually ask for discounts.
But this small gesture caught my attention.
There was no teaching.
There was no explanation.
There was no speech.
But something happened.
First, he was able to speak.
Then, he took part.
Then, he moved.
Maybe we are trying to start from the wrong place.
We want people to understand.
But, many times, they haven't even been able to exist yet.
Before understanding, a person needs space.
Space to try.
To make mistakes.
To speak in their own way.
To be remembered.
To be considered.
When someone realizes:
I was heard
I was remembered
What I said matters
something changes inside.
And when that changes…
the person begins to move.
Not because they understood.
But because now they can.
Maybe that's it.
It is not a lack of intelligence.
It is not resistance.
It is not disinterest.
Sometimes…
it is just a lack of space to exist.
And, when someone begins to exist…
they begin, naturally, to reach others.
Sometimes, crossing the street with a sweet in their hand.
Sometimes, without knowing why…
someone does a small kindness along the way.
