Curate, connect, and discover
I came back to our little camp to find him with his head in his hands.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I set the gathered food down.
"I hurt you," he whispered.
"I'm sorry?" What was he talking about?
"I caused you physical pain." He clenched his fists tight.
I could still feel the burn every now and again. I sat down directly beside him.
"I do the same thing to some of the plants I watch over," I told him, staring into the fire. "Sometimes, the best thing I can do for them is to cut an infected part off and burn it because there's nothing else I can do," I explained before he could ask.
"Still doesn't justify my behavior," he muttered.
"Well, I don't like the pain and it sometimes bothers me," I started, referring to the injury he gave me earlier, "but I forgive you."
He met my gaze before he asked, "Why?"
"You're going to make mistakes some as me, granted different from mine. But life and time are just that way - unforgiving. I think it's easier to get through a day if people are more forgiving."
He stayed silent.
"You going to be okay?"
He rested his head on my shoulder and whispered, "Yeah. Just processing."
"You're going to be okay," I told him, letting him take however long he needs to figure it out.