“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ― Charles Dickens

The little boy from down the way, and who is just about 3 years-old, was recently told by his preschool teacher that,

“Helping makes you feel good.”

Imagine my delight when he offered to push my over-sized Rubbermaid trash cans from the side of the curb to all the way behind my house.

“I’ll help you,” he shouted proudly as he quickly scampered off.

After 15 minutes or so, and with many grunts and oomphs in between—by God, he finally moved that trash can just where it needed to be.

Oh, but it was not without notice that he was not so very pleased.

As he harumphed right past me, with muddy shmootz in his hair…he shouted,

“Helping does not make you feel good.”

And with a snarliest of ‘frowny brows’ and disillusioned sideways glance—he reinforced this disgust, by stomping away.

So now, I need to figure out the perfect ‘thank you for helping even though you got shmootz in your hair’ present for a 3 year-old boy.

Because, he’s right, you know—helping should always make you feel good.

 

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