Weekends are normally a time for shopping and last Saturday was no exception.
Weekends
are
normally
a
time
for
shopping
and
last
Saturday
was
no
exception
.
My son Henry and I were shopping in a neighborhood market.
My
son
Henry
and
I
were
shopping
in
a
neighborhood
market
.
Henry was busy weighing each new bag of vegetables I selected.
Henry
was
busy
weighing
each
new
bag
of
vegetables
I
selected
.
I gave him a bag of potatoes and he walked over to the scale and waited in line.
I
gave
him
a
bag
of
potatoes
and
he
walked
over
to
the
scale
and
waited
in
line
.
Suddenly, a man rushed over from behind, and stepped before him, hitting him out of the way.
Suddenly
,
a
man
rushed
over
from
behind
,
and
stepped
before
him
,
hitting
him
out
of
the
way
.
Henry looked shocked and scared.
Henry
looked
shocked
and
scared
.
Seeing this I left my shopping cart and walked over to Henry, saying loudly, "Are you OK, honey?
Seeing
this
I
left
my
shopping
cart
and
walked
over
to
Henry
,
saying
loudly
,
``
Are
you
OK
,
honey
?
I saw what that man did to you.
I
saw
what
that
man
did
to
you
.
That was very, very wrong."
That
was
very
,
very
wrong
.
''
When the man finished weighing his bag, his sudden turning around made all his onions fall to the ground.
When
the
man
finished
weighing
his
bag
,
his
sudden
turning
around
made
all
his
onions
fall
to
the
ground
.
The three of us stood there, frozen for a moment.
The
three
of
us
stood
there
,
frozen
for
a
moment
.
And then I bent down on my hands and knees and started collecting onions.
And
then
I
bent
down
on
my
hands
and
knees
and
started
collecting
onions
.
After I handed the onions to the man, he accepted them and put them into his bag.
After
I
handed
the
onions
to
the
man
,
he
accepted
them
and
put
them
into
his
bag
.
After Henry and I picked up all the onions, the man walked away without saying anything.
After
Henry
and
I
picked
up
all
the
onions
,
the
man
walked
away
without
saying
anything
.
We didn't discuss the event until we got back in the car.
We
did
n't
discuss
the
event
until
we
got
back
in
the
car
.
On the way back home, Henry said through tears, "Mommy, I've a frustrating day.
On
the
way
back
home
,
Henry
said
through
tears
,
``
Mommy
,
I
've
a
frustrating
day
.
That man cut right in front of me.
That
man
cut
right
in
front
of
me
.
And we had to help him pick up his onions!
And
we
had
to
help
him
pick
up
his
onions
!
Why did we do that?
Why
did
we
do
that
?
That didn't make any sense!"
That
did
n't
make
any
sense
!
''
I took a deep breath and said, "Henry, that man seemed to have a very bad mood today.
I
took
a
deep
breath
and
said
,
``
Henry
,
that
man
seemed
to
have
a
very
bad
mood
today
.
We should forgive him.
We
should
forgive
him
.
I was also angry with the man for treating you rudely.
I
was
also
angry
with
the
man
for
treating
you
rudely
.
I really wanted to kick him.
I
really
wanted
to
kick
him
.
But doing that doesn't make any sense.
But
doing
that
does
n't
make
any
sense
.
If we hadn't helped him, we might have felt good for a moment, but then I bet we would have felt really sorry for a long time.
If
we
had
n't
helped
him
,
we
might
have
felt
good
for
a
moment
,
but
then
I
bet
we
would
have
felt
really
sorry
for
a
long
time
.
You and I have a lot of love to share.
You
and
I
have
a
lot
of
love
to
share
.
Maybe that man doesn't have much.
Maybe
that
man
does
n't
have
much
.
People who behave badly still need love."
People
who
behave
badly
still
need
love
.
''
A cheerful smile appeared on Henry's face.
A
cheerful
smile
appeared
on
Henry
's
face
.
It was a smile of promise kept.
It
was
a
smile
of
promise
kept
.
It was the best smile I had ever seen.
It
was
the
best
smile
I
had
ever
seen
.
It was a good moment.
It
was
a
good
moment
.
It may have been my best mommy moment ever.
It
may
have
been
my
best
mommy
moment
ever
.
Weekends are normally a time for shopping and last Saturday was no exception. My son Henry and I were shopping in a neighborhood market. Henry was busy weighing each new bag of vegetables I selected. I gave him a bag of potatoes and he walked over to the scale and waited in line. Suddenly, a man rushed over from behind, and stepped before him, hitting him out of the way. Henry looked shocked and scared. Seeing this I left my shopping cart and walked over to Henry, saying loudly, "Are you OK, honey? I saw what that man did to you. That was very, very wrong."  When the man finished weighing his bag, his sudden turning around made all his onions fall to the ground. The three of us stood there, frozen for a moment. And then I bent down on my hands and knees and started collecting onions. After I handed the onions to the man, he accepted them and put them into his bag. After Henry and I picked up all the onions, the man walked away without saying anything. We didn't discuss the event until we got back in the car.  On the way back home, Henry said through tears, "Mommy, I've a frustrating day. That man cut right in front of me. And we had to help him pick up his onions! Why did we do that? That didn't make any sense!"  I took a deep breath and said, "Henry, that man seemed to have a very bad mood today. We should forgive him. I was also angry with the man for treating you rudely. I really wanted to kick him. But doing that doesn't make any sense. If we hadn't helped him, we might have felt good for a moment, but then I bet we would have felt really sorry for a long time. You and I have a lot of love to share. Maybe that man doesn't have much. People who behave badly still need love."  A cheerful smile appeared on Henry's face. It was a smile of promise kept. It was the best smile I had ever seen. It was a good moment. It may have been my best mommy moment ever.