Giving back, my boy makes me proud

When my (grown and almost grown) children were young we used to have lots of fun doing random acts of kindness. One of our favorite random a of k was to pay for a couple of the cars behind us at the two dollar car wash. The kids got the biggest charge out of parking near enough so they could see how excited the people got when they were told they were given a free car wash by a stranger.


Another favorite was to surprise a (couple of) Salvation Army bell ringer(s) with a cup of hot chocolate (usually from McDonalds) on a frigid night or we would treat the wheel chaired Veteran, collecting funds outside our bank in the sweltering heat, to a nice MickyD's iced tea.

The recipients of our random act(s) of kindness expressed such surprise, so much gratitude that the kids and I were on a natural high for hours.

They loved doing that. And so did I.

I know that I have three very big hearted children, but my big ol hairy Baby boy (he's 18) told me something yesterday (Thanksgiving morning) that just about made me bust my buttons.

"Mom" he said "the other night when I went to Kroger to turn in all my change" (this boy works pt time on the weekends refereeing rec basketball and has been saving his pay and all of the change he can manage to find, steal from his sister or the clothes dryer to buy his darling girl friend a birthday gift).

"It had turned pretty cold" he continued” and I saw one of those bell ringers outside the door."

“I went and got him a hot chocolate Mom, just like we used to do."

"You bought the ringer a hot chocolate?" I said, slack jawed "with your own money?"

"Yeah" he answered.

I've had many, many prideful moments with my children. Watching my boys play sports or my daughter sing on stage. Hearing nice things from their teachers on conference night. Why I've even felt a strange sense of pride when they are all spiffed up and I think to myself...how in the hell did I help to create something so damned cute???

But let me tell you....when your (too many times "all about me") teen does something like this....that sense of pride, well something like that can only be described as euphoric rapture.

It really was an out of body experience. I hope you get to go there sometime too.

Thanks for listening....

I absolutely heart this boy.....*sigh*