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The Helper

Kenzo beckoned to me after dinner and quietly said, "You didn't ask me about my favorite thing today."

I said, quietly, "Sorry, dude. What was your favorite part of today?"

I already knew, and that's why I was being discreet. Osamu was right there.

It occurred to me that Kenzo knows how to whisper now. Up until recently he was "whispering" in that little boy way where he cups his hands around his mouth and talks quietly into my mouth and not my ear.

Kenzo had a day off from school today since his elementary school field day was on Saturday. Osamu went to kindergarten as usual, happy as a clam even knowing that Kenzo was off from school.

After Osamu took off on the kindergarten bus I was settling in for a busy Monday at my desk in my home office and Eri popped her head in and said she was taking Kenzo to the movie theater to see the Super Mario Movie.

And off they went. 

I was busy with my Monday morning tasks and meetings and before I knew it lunch time rolled around so I nuked some leftover fish that our neighbors gave us and headed out to get my steps in. It was raining and humid, which made the flowers and grass smell that much better.

At bath time there were a lot of toys to clean up in the living room. Osamu was being contrary and not helping, and Kenzo was being super patient. Usually he complains if Osamu doesn't help clean up. Tonight Kenzo did most of the cleaning up and told me, "It doesn't matter who made the mess; it matters who cleans it up."

That's my thing. I love that he gets it, but I worry it's wrong. Sometimes it does matter who made the mess. I'm just trying to promote one of my most important values, which is, "Leave the world a little better than when you arrived in it."

I praised Kenzo for helping clean up everything downstairs. He did a great job. Then I added, "Kenzo, when things are crazy people remember the helpers most."

He smiled. He knows he's a helper.

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