This story was birthed out of my relationships with many families who have experienced pain and loss. I have been reading the story to parents and children at Nurture House, and often the worst question asked by children who have experienced loss is, “What happened to big O? Why did she get small?” Why, indeed. We all want a reason, an explanation that will take away the pain of being left, but I find that holding the child’s pain and acknowledging the child’s confusion is more helpful than the minimal impact of our words of explanation. Part of the healing process is helping children accept that they may never fully understand the why.