An enlightening Day 14.

Yesterday I met Scott. Shuffling alongside a busy intersection. His sign said, "Will work if you ask me." (That spot is usually worked by a man with two artificial legs. I don't know his name yet.) I was fresh out of anything to offer Scott. No water bottles. No cereal bars. And I'd just used my last nine dimes and two nickels to tip the guy at Thundercloud a NOT very generous tip.
So, I rolled down my window and asked Scott his name.
You know his answer.
And I guess I started my own little social experiment.
"What could I give you right now that would make your life easier?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Socks.
"And a pillow."
"What about a bus pass," I asked.
"Oh, them things are like gold on the street. Yes ma'am, a bus pass would be great."
I clarified w/ him that "like gold on the street" didn't mean he was going to get knocked off by the pregnant lady on the other corner for this prized possession. (She's just up the road by the video store. We've asked her name before, but I'm not sure she can hear. Or maybe she didn't feel like talking.)
He went on to explain that his wife is named Honey. And he demonstrated for me how I'll know her if I see her.
"She's kinda hunched over from MS."
He hunched.
So, THEN. I brought The Ones Big and Short home from school.
I told them I was doing a VERY IMPORTANT survey.
(And NO it wasn't more homework!)
And I asked them the same question.
"What could I give you right now that would make your life easier?"
They didn't hesitate.
"A brand new big, big Lego set."
"A skateboarding game."
"A digital video camera."
"Money? Can I just have money?"
So, I repeated the question. Emphasizing "give you" (not BUY you) and "make your life EASIER" (not MORE FUN.)
I could hear them re-thinking their answers.
"No, not Lego's. Just the video game. Because I don't really have a good skateboarding game."
"Yeah, the camera."
"When are we gonna go get this stuff?"
"Can we go today?"
Then I explained why I asked the question.
And I told them what Scott said.
Socks.
A pillow.
A bus pass to take hunched over Honey to pick up her blood pressure meds.
The Big One got silent.
The Short One started to cry.
"You mean I don't get a video game?"
"But, you saaaaaaiddddd ...."
Children are the most selfish of beings. From the time they are born, they NEED. And they TAKE. Or they will die.
Their world revolves very surely around only them.
Sleeping. Nursing. Eating. Toddling. Later, running. Flag-football-video-game-playing-spelling-test-taking little beings.
But, slowly. Their world will revolve to include Scott.
I know it will.
I'm beginning to see signs. Little flickers of empathy. Compassion.
Little flickers that are unprovoked. Not suggested by me as a good deed. Or another adult as a nice thing to do.
They're just not all the way there yet.
And for that I'm grateful.
In "Gras-ti-tude" for my children being children. Selfish, healthy, happy children.
For a glass-half-full world of smiles and carefree play.
For working hard to learn. And learning to work hard.
For the complete and total trust that their needs will be met.
And our ability to do so.
Oh, and for socks.
I'm grateful for socks.