Dropped Eggs and Monumental Moments

The colored basket was swinging from his arm. He already had three eggs. At the giant and jumbled madhouse of the city park Egg Hunt where you are lucky to get more than three eggs, these plastic delights are a valued commodity.

He ran looking down, when suddenly he watched another egg drop and appear near his foot. He bent to pick it up. With it in his hand, he froze. . .thinking.

Even before he saw her turn-- he hesitated. His mind turning about where this egg came from. He contemplated the morality of placing this lost treasure into his own basket. It was written on his face.
. . .He watched her as he felt the weight of the situation. He realized the right thing and stood there holding the egg in a socially awkward and morally laden moment. Meanwhile, other kids ran on grabbing at would be treasures.
She finally turned. His eyes met hers, and with grace, he kindly handed her the dropped egg. She took it, paused to look at him, and placed it in her basket. She looked at him gently then ran on.

In that moment, he took a major step toward the kind of man he would become. This child hesitated - contemplated his choice. No one was watching him(that he knew of). It is likely no one would be mad. No tears would come (This is a big deal when you are four.). He could have kept the egg. The egg that someone else lost. But, he chose well.

The short scene reminded me that Life is made of small, often instantaneous, decisions that shape us . . . form us, and speak to who we are. (It also reminded me that I needed to look for my son who was still running and collecting eggs.)