Effort

We got to the shelter to find it swarming with people. Cats were hopping under the counter to hide from the chaos. Phones were ringing, and we could hear the dogs barking wildly from the runs behind the building. “Should we come back later, Mom?” asked G. We were there to interview the shelter’s foster coordinator for a project that G was doing for school.  Before I could answer him my sweet friend swept into the room, held up one finger to us, and started expertly organizing the craziness. Within minutes she had 2 new intakes settled and us comfortable in a quiet out of the way space. Toni spent close to 40 minutes with G. She brought him handouts and told him that he was her youngest foster parent. She offered to set up a meeting with the shelter’s vet for him and gave him ideas for his next project. She treated him like a peer. I watched him visibly sit taller in his chair as the interview went on. G left with a huge smile on his face and hasn’t quit talking about his time with Mrs. Toni. 

I was in the  teacher’s lounge sorting papers into take home folders when I overhear a Mom ask if there was a trick to using the die cut machine. “Not the letter E again?!?” another mom chimes in. We all laugh and explain that some of the letters need to be sharpened. When it quiets down and the room clears I ask her what she’s working on. She tells me that she’s making Mrs. F. a display for open house that night. 

“But your little girl isn’t in her class!”

“I know, but when she found out that everyone else had one I could tell she felt left out. I didn’t want that so I decided to make her one.” 

Both of these women touched my heart today. They took the time to help someone else with absolutely no self interest. Toni did not have time to meet with G. She did it because she knew it mattered to a child. The mom in the workroom wanted to make a hardworking teacher feel appreciated. A teacher neither of her children have. I’m going  to challenge my children (and myself) tomorrow to look for a way they can selflessly help someone. I’m excited to hear about their experiences. Maybe this will be our new Friday tradition?