A Little Kindness During the Bears Game

I witnessed an amazing thing a few  Sundays ago right in the middle of the Bears’ game against the Chiefs.  I looked around the room at Pilgrim Faith Church’s annual Christmas Craft workshop and wondered:  what are all these men doing here?

Little kids were bouncing all over the place, eager for their turn to stick mini candy canes on a gingerbread house and happily glopping too much glue on the angel wings jutting like misfired darts from heavenly bodies.  In the midst of it all were those great lovers of little craft projects:  MEN!

There were dads with their two year old sons and ten-going-on-twenty-something daughters.  There were several men whose own children were all grown up who brought the neighbor kids and helped them make their crafts.  There was a grandpa who presided over the graham cracker “gingerbread” houses with his own grown son and daughter and his granddaughters, parceling out the gum drops and candy canes and gooey frosting.  Yes, there were even more women, but a striking number of men had given up their Sunday afternoon for the kids!

The gift of time and love these men gave to their kids and others for an activity not generally considered “manly” filled me with hope.  The men weren’t there just because the Bears were losing.  They (mostly) weren’t there because they love making ornaments.  They were there for the children, so their eyes would light up as they designed and displayed their Christmas creations!

Such a simple act of kindness that writes “he cares” in the psyche of these children.  A few hours that will encourage these children to take time for others when they are grown.  A small sacrifice that multiplies our capacity to care for others. 

Thank you to all the men (and women) who take time for the children!  You are making a better world!