A Child

The other day when I was riding the bus an older woman and a little girl got on and sat next to me up front. Smiles appeared on the faces of all the people sitting close by and a conversation started. The older man across from us began to reminisce and told us that he always wanted to pull the chord to signal a stop when he was little and he would ask his mother repeatedly to let him. She always let him do it and he smiled and chuckled at the memory. He asked the woman the little girl's age and she said she was three. Everyone remarked on her smartness, her cuteness and her sparkling personality. The little girl clearly enjoyed the attention.

The woman with the little girl said "She is my granddaughter. Several years ago my son, his wife and their two children were killed in a car crash so I spend every minute I can with my two remaining grandchildren." We all looked at this child and saw how precious she was and how loved she was by her grandmother.

When my stop came I asked the little girl if she would pull the chord for me so that I could get off the bus. She instantly and very efficiently pulled the chord and gave me the biggest smile while she was doing it. I thanked her for helping me and she smiled and said "Happy Holidays!"

As I was walking past the bus I looked at the window and was rewarded by the sight of this child smiling and waving to me. It made my day. All the way to the office I thought about how lucky I am to be working in a field and for an organization that work to make the future better for children like this little girl.

Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season. I hope there is a little child in your life. They so naturally bring joy to eveyone around them

Jeanne