A fellow YMCA donated about 50 backpacks to us filled with school supplies. Instead of just handing the bags out, we had the kids earn them. They had a checklist that they had to fill out and do each activity--eat a full plate of dinner, exercise, do one act of kindness, brush your teeth, go to bed at a decent time etc--for five days. For their act of kindness, a lot of the kids have been writing little notes to the YMCA staff. Today Dylan (aged 7) and one of the Y regulars only had a few more checks to earn his backpack. He approached me with his hands behind his back and a sly look on his face grinning and saying, "nothing." He produced this post-it from behind his back:
I tried not to cry as I pulled him into a bear hug and told him that he made me happy too and that I was so glad he came to the Y. Dylan was one of the very first kids I met out here. His note makes everything worth it.