“Yesterday, as my son Sean and I were traveling to North Carolina for his soccer tournament, we pulled off at a small gas station to grab a drink.
While I went inside to pay, I handed Sean the car keys so he could head back out and get settled. It took me a few extra minutes to check out, and when I came back outside, I noticed Sean’s door was open — and he was walking away from the car toward a man in a wheelchair.
The man was an older African American gentleman, both legs amputated, who appeared to be homeless.
And I’ll be honest — my first reaction, sadly, was,
“Oh crap. He’s probably asking Sean for money.”
As I got closer, I saw that Sean had already had a short exchange with the man and was now heading back toward the car. When I got in, I asked him what that was all about.
“Nothing, Dad,” he said. “I just asked if he needed help. He said no thanks, that he was fine, but thanked me for asking.”
It hit me right then — I hadn’t even noticed what Sean did. The man had been trying to cross a gravel parking lot full of potholes, pushing himself in a wheelchair with his hands. I hadn’t seen it. But my 11-year-old son had. He put down his electronics, got out of the car, and offered to help.
As we pulled out, Sean asked if we could give the man some money. So I rolled down the window and asked, “Sir, could you use a few dollars?”
He smiled and said, “No thank you, I’m fine. Your son was a real gentleman and gave me all I needed today. God bless.”
We drove off, and I saw Sean wave. The man waved back with the biggest smile on his face.
Would I have done what Sean did? I honestly don’t know.
I’m not sharing this story to brag about my son. I’m sharing it because it reminded me how easy it is to let cynicism cloud our hearts. I jumped to judgment — and my son simply saw someone who might need help. No hesitation. No assumptions. Just kindness.
In a world that feels divided, angry, and harsh, maybe what we need is to look through the eyes of a child again.
If every one of us just tried once a day to make a stranger smile… to make someone feel seen… imagine how different things could be.
Sean didn’t do it for attention — he didn’t even know I saw. He just did it.
I pray this world doesn’t change that boy. ❤️”
Credit: Blanton O’Neal