Following all of the racial tension, hatred and chaos that broke out in Charlottesville last week, Rachel Macy Stafford, otherwise known as the “Hands Free Mama,” took to Facebook to share a profound lesson her daughter has inadvertently taught her about the color of friendship.
“I’ll never forget what my daughter said after her best friend was subjected to a racist comment on the school bus one afternoon,” she writes.
Hands Free Mama
“She didn’t say anything, so I just scooted closer.” Her daughter reluctantly admitted, “I didn’t know what to do, Mama, so I just hurt with her.”
I hurt with her.
Rachel says that simple but powerful statement from her daughter “took a moment” to recover from. She “filed” those words away and held them close as this dynamic duo grew in their friendship.
“Over the past several years, I’ve noticed how they look out for each other. Whether one gets hurt on the playground…whether one is getting new glasses and needs an honest opinion…whether one needs encouragement at basketball tryouts…whether one is frightened by a dog…they respond compassionately to each other’s needs. When one cannot have a treat due to gluten allergies or braces, the other goes without too. And when they have disagreements, they look into each other’s eyes, listen to each other’s words, and work through it.”
Though they’re young—only 10 years old—and small in stature, this pair radiates a friendship that most adults would kill for. A confidant, a partner in crime, and most importantly, a best friend.
This summer, Rachel says the two girls attended a basketball camp together.