And it very well may have changed her life.

While riding the late train, there was a young girl across the aisle from me. She seemed nice enough, except for the fact that she was sending my misophonia into heightened levels of hell. Chewing loudly, popping her lips, and humming all at once. I was in a steel box of sounds and I needed a distraction.
While I was digging out my cross stitch supplies and desperately reaching for some dense earplugs, she asked me what I was doing. And something truly spectacular happened.

She asked me if I would show her how.

We moved to the dining car and while I taught her the basics she told me how she has ADHD, Claustrophobia, and anger issues. How she gets in fights at school and carrys "picks" on her person that her mom doesn't know about "just in case someone asks for it".

She was a rough and tumble little kid that loved her grandma and cousins. But was also prone to getting in trouble when she was bored.

I told her the best part about cross stitch: "You can stab something 4,000 times and not go to jail!" For the rest of the long trip she was quiet, still, focused, and calm. The transformation was something to behold.

As she was leaving she said:

"You know what? I may do this instead of getting angry."

Yes... yes, my child. Sublimate your rage with crafts.

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