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A Parent's Reward

When we know we did something right...

A Defining Moment

Sometime in 2015 or 2016

We spend almost 20 years with our children, teaching them lifelong skills, sharing our "wisdom", and  "modeling" our principles, values and morals. We often feel that this parenting thing is a hit or miss. Feeding the information into their heads, and hoping that a day will come when, like a computer, they will spit it back out, use it, adopt some of it, and share it with peers and friends.


Last night was a defining moment for me as a parent. I got a call from my son, who was at a play rehearsal, asking me to stop by and give him $20 for gas. I complained, but I dropped off the money and went home. When James got home later that night, he came and sat by me in the living room – something he rarely does. I looked at him, and he seemed a bit nervous. I asked him if he had something to tell me, and he quietly said yes.


He went to Racetrack in Opelousas on his way home to put $20 worth of gas in his dad’s truck. He said, “You know that $20 you gave me?” He went on, “Well, I only put $10 of gas in the truck.” I immediately thought he must have spent the other $10 on something else for himself. He went on with the story. He got out of the truck, and he witnessed a homeless man asking another customer if he would please buy him something to eat. The customer scoffed, and abruptly said, “NO”, and went about his business. James continued to watch the homeless man walk over to the side of the building, sit down on the curb, and begin crying.


Here comes the defining moment. James took the $20 he had for gas, put $10 in the truck, and went inside and bought two sandwiches, a bag of chips and a drink and brought it out to the man sitting on the curb.


While James wasn’t sure how I would react, he shared the story with me with some trepidation. I assured him that I was very proud of him for taking an opportunity that presented itself and making a selfless choice. Of all the awards and achievements he has garnered in his young life, I believe this one solitary random act of kindness, when no one was looking, and no one was urging, brought me unmeasurable pride. It validated for me as a parent, that we have done something right, and that all of the wonderful people in his life, through their own example – his sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, and more – have helped influence how he has chosen to live.


A defining moment for me, and I’m looking forward to many more.

What my readers are saying

I know James, and am not surprised at all.  He is a big bear of a guy, with a heart to match!  Thank your for sharing.  You and Ed did do something right!

Dorothy W.

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