Being bullied but listening first!

Yesterday we had the wonderful opportunity to revisit our friends on the reservation. We did our reflection walk, and enjoyed the chants as we talked about what we saw and heard during the journey. As a group we decided to draw our experiences in the sand with wood sticks! Then the strangest thing happened. One of our new group members, he is 17 began to tell us about what it is like to be bullied by others. I decided to let him play out his words, almost stopping him twice in mid sentence, but was using the spirits above to guide him. As he talked, and spoke with rage, I followed the other teens faces and their body language. It appeared to me then, that this was not a time to intervene, or give counsel, just listen. Then as he wrapped up, we heard a loud noise, a howling. I thought for sure it was a dog. There are a plethora of dogs running wild all over up here. Another girl in our group, she was 19, began to chant, then the members all began to chant. I listened, and heard the howling again, it was surreal. I wanted desperately to talk about what the boy had just told us, but I bit my tongue, so to speak. We then got up and began our walk back to the community center. As we were walking this time, we could talk. At that time, one of the new members began to give advice to the boy who was being bullied, then everyone soon began to give advice. I then stopped right there. In my tracks. That was it! I was able to break down barriers by listening, then allowing the teenagers to feel comfortable and not forced. You see in this population, we always, respectfully, this writer included, force them to talk, and tell. This time they talked and shared on their own ground, their own time. We went back to our group place where we meet, and then talked about what it is like to be bullied. The unfortunate thing was my time for group was over, and the kids were pouring out running back to their Sunday fun. I wanted to run with this topic, and hear, feel all that I could. But, in reality, I did. Just not on my time table, but theirs! We as helpers, parents, teachers, all need to understand that meeting kids, teenagers on their level is what it is all about! Stay in your health, stay in the moment.