I’ve seen a version of this story
floating around and thought about it for a minute. How would this story look if
the political spin wasn’t present? More importantly, what would I like my
daughter to do in this situation?
Thanks to the original author for
starting me thinking.
Recently, while I was working in
the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they
returned home from walking their dog. During our friendly conversation, I asked
their little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted
to be President someday. With both of her parents standing there, I asked her,
"If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"
She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."
Her parents beamed with pride! "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said.
"But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that!" I
told her. "What do you mean?" she replied. So I told her, "You
can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and
I'll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless
guy hangs out and give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."
She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye
and said, "Great, I can come by once a week and do all the work I can for
you, and help one person at a time.” Smiling she walked away with her parents,
and I wondered why couldn’t I do something like that? Sometimes children see
things so simply…
