Today Rose made a pregnant woman cry.
7:40am
The day started with my little ladies diligently working on art projects, when I mentioned “Today is Norah’s Mom’s birthday.” The girls decided it would be fun to make birthday cards for this close family friend. I pulled out a collection of blank card paper and let the girls run with their creativity.
8:00am
Time to leave! I take Quinn’s card and admire her design and then open it to read the note. There is a $5 bill inside. I explain to her that Nana likes to give her cash, but it is not appropriate for a child to give an adult money in a card. That it can make them uncomfortable.
I look down and see I am breaking the little girl’s heart. She had worked on this gorgeous handmade card for the last 30 minutes and here I am telling her she has to scrap it as we are about to leave. I couldn’t bear the look on her face, so I say, “Fine, but no cash next time we do cards.”
3:30pm
This afternoon, as I pull into the school pick-up line, I see Norah’s Mom b-lining toward my car. As I roll down my window I immediately start apologizing, telling her I hope the $5 didn’t make her uncomfortable.
She stops me mid-sentence and says, “Rose gave me $20.”
How inherently giving children can be…
She asked where she would have gotten the money and I explained the girls have been saving up for a trampoline in a secret cookie jar. She spoke with the girls and explained that she is going to use the money to do something special with our three ladies together.
“There is no happiness in having or in getting, but only in giving.” ~ Henry Drummond
Today is just another reminder that it is truly an honor to be a mother.
