Here, Miss Thomas, one of Bud’s biggest advocates, makes Bud feel as if he is strong for crying instead of weak. Unlike other adults, she does not take advantage of Bud’s show of vulnerability. Instead she surrounds him with comfort and lets him know that it is okay to cry and have people he trusts comfort him. Moreover, by letting him cry she encourages him to be a child in the moment and let go of some of the baggage that he has been carrying. Whether she says it verbally or just through her touch, she tells Bud that he…