boys and the emergency room.

for the record, i work in a hospital and am fully aware that the hospital staff all refer to the "emergency room" as the "emergency DEPARTMENT" or ED.  that's fine.  most people still know it as the ER.  and further, most people loath going there.  i went recently.  my little drew slammed his finger in a car door.  he went to and adult ED, because it was closest.  his finger had gotten stuck, such that the door had to be opened in an effort to extract the finger.  he was triaged quickly and treated by a very nice nurse, who treated a six year old boy like the small person that he is and not an inconvenience or an object.  all questions were directed to him (big brother had a hard time not answering for him). and all care was explained in terms that were both honest and understandable to a child of his age.  he spent the majority of his time smiling and joking, despite the fractured finger.  and once bandaged, he was proud to show any one who would look his paw and was eager to make phone calls in the morning to tell his story.

i was thinking of this, as my sister was posting pictures of her son, who also had to spend time in the ED.  in his case a kitchen cabinet got the better of his forehead...there was blood...there are stitches.

it leaves me wondering.  was there learning? did they learn from their "mistakes" (which in fairness were being overly enthusiastic about life) or will i be making the same trip again, this time for a different bone, injury, cause?

boys will be boys, and i don't know a man without his share of scars.  is it just part of growing up, that we as males push limits and disregard consequences? is this how they are intended to learn the limits of their behavior; the natural consequences? or is it just another thing they go though, like chicken pox or the flu...momentary discomfort, with no long term consequence?  i guess only time will tell if the scars become medals or cautionary reminders.