Henry wants to do the right thing.

Yesterday I asked Henry to go into a store and get something for me while I waited outside with the dog. He performed this task so admirably—I could see him through the store window, saying please and thank you in all the right places, while the guys behind the counter grinned down at him—that when he returned and handed me my change, I said, "You keep it." It was a dollar. He was shocked. A dollar? He could buy out the toy store with this wealth! Buy all the Hershey bars in the universe!

We walked half a block, debating the merits of spending vs. saving. We were waiting outside the grocery store for Scott, and as we stood there, Henry said hello to a homeless man asking for change. Then he handed him the dollar. They exchanged a high-five. Henry walked back to me and said, "That was totally worth it—he was such a nice guy." I waited for him to ask for another dollar, but he never mentioned it again.

Scott came out of the store and we made our way home. Along the way, we talked about homelessness and poverty and inequality and what Henry could do to change things. He's got some big ideas, people. Wait until you hear.

Comments

[Heidi]

How rewarding. And caring. And generous. Big ideas indeed!!

[Black Hockey Jesus]

There's nothing I respect more than kindness to bums and drunks. A good story. A keeper.

[Kirsty]

Put me with the teary crowd. That must have made your heart smile. Good kid, that.

[Mindy]

Yet another story after which I am determined that my daughter will marry Henry someday. She's almost five, adorable, witty, very bright - how do you feel about arranged marriages?

[readersguide]

A lovely post, and it sounds like you guys are turning into city people. Maybe it was the move that had him unsettled, and now he's settling in? Who knows -- you're right. You get all worried, and then it sorts itself out.

[Nicole]

What a sweetie. He gets what many adults don't.

[marta]

Sweet.

[Accidental Olympian]

That is absolutely marvelous. If he can begin to grasp it at 6, who knows the change he could bring about to the world by 16, 26, 36,...

Can you even imagine your little guy at 36?

[Emily]

I adore Henry. He makes me want to have children, no kidding.

[neena]

That just makes my heart smile! You must be doing something right, Mama.

[Kristen]

Okay, so THAT'S why people have kids. I totally get it now, and *almost* want one of my own. What a great story.

[Holly Strebel]

That is the sweetest thing. I don't think I would of done that when I was little, perhaps, PRETEND to place it in the bucket, then pull it out, yelling "HA HA, SUCKER!"

Someday life is going to bite me in the butt.

Good for him!

[Maggie]

good job mom and dad!

[Dawn]

That's a good man in the making you're raising there. Well done!

[C]

What a beautiful story. You must be so proud of him! That there is a combination of great parenting and inborn good guy-ness.

[Tansasser]

What a great story. I think we all need more stories like this in our lives. Less Michael Jackson, more Henry Finslippy.

[Summer Saldana]

I think I just fell in love with Henry!

[jens]

awesome. made me tear up a little.

[Margarita]

That is so sweet. I love when we see things in children that could change everything. I see glimmers of responsibility and care for others in my little one, and I get so proud when I do. We always focus on the negative, on what they're not doing right, on all they're doin wrong... but if we wait, they will do something astounding like that.

[highlyirritable]

...patiently waiting for six to come...

At just-turned-five, I'm afraid my son would roll the homeless guy for his money. He's still firmly entrenched in that "world revolves around me" stage.

Come on six.....

[Amber Lynae]

That is heartwarming. What a sweet thing for him to choose to do with his newly earned money.

[Lynn @ human, being]

lovely, sweet boy.

[Laura]

What a great story. As a mom of a soon-to-be 2-year-old, we all have big hopes and dreams of raising a selfless child who will go on to great things, and we find ourselves trapped in these phases where we keep wondering, "what the heck are we doing wrong?" Some days, we're convinced that we're doing EVERYTHING wrong. Thank you for restoring our hope in the promise.

[desiree fawn]

Oh!! What a nice little man you've got there.Good job ^_^

[aimee greeblemonkey]

You may remember our kids are very close in age. And this post gives me hope. Because I hate 6. Hate hate hate. Bring on September and age 7. I am counting the days. But then, like you, we will have those ray of hope days that make it all worth it. Oh, like my post from yesterday when Declan learned how to use the word fuck. Ahem. Yeah.