Lessons

We are walking home, a riot of color and giggles and floaty dresses.

Oh! There on the sidewalk, fluttering madly is an injured butterfly.

Clop, clop, clop, the sidewalk is busy, I hold my breath as I watch you take in the scene in but a moment, you, my little clown and sometimes-smasher of bugs. But down you swoop and hold out your hand, your face now solemn, the picture of concerned wonder. The butterfly immediately crawls onto your palm and stills. You can almost feel its relief.

I motion to a potted bush to the right of the sidewalk and you gently let the butterfly down into its leaves where it will be safe.

This is compassion, and this is one of the ways it is honed.

Only a few steps later and we are confronted with another creature, this time a sparrow which has flown into a sign and fallen, dead. All three of you stoop down and gingerly touch its soft brown wing.

A few people walking by give a disapproving look.

It is ok, this is curiosity, learning, and compassion.

I share a short explanation. You understand and we move on, back amid the busy crowd.

But a little wiser, and I suspect -I hope- a little kinder.