hope and cupcakes

On my last visit to Shelby Oaks a crisis arose.

It was during snack time when the discovery was made that there were 16 cupcakes left and 19 children who wanted them. The easiest thing to do that point was obvious: there were not enough cupcakes for everyone, so nobody would get one. This is when the teacher came up with a brilliant idea: she presented the facts to the children and told them that in order to eat cupcakes, 3 people were going to have to give up their own for someone else.

The class sat frozen and silent as they all scanned the room waiting to see if anyone would volunteer...

Then one child did, then another, until 6 children had volunteered to give up their cupcakes so that the other children could have some. I thought this was incredible. We're talking about 5-year-olds willing to give up sugar for a friend... which is a pretty big thing in world of kindergarten! They are learning something that is still difficult for people 4 times their age: selflessness and sacrifice. I thought it was just beautiful.

Lately, I have been rediscovering that there are always these wonderful, hope-giving things around for those who are looking. I wish that I looked more often...

I think that school and stress has a way of blinding the mind to the significance and beauty hidden in what we deem ordinary. This is something that I have been trying to guard against by trying to always notice. Last month it was a little boy helping his friend with her straw. Last week it was a sweet note from a little girl. Yesterday it was 5-year-olds giving up their cupcakes. Tomorrow it will be something new.

What a delightful thing it is to notice.