"I wanna be good"

Today as I was leaving the store
I heard behind me a little girl crying  to her mother
"I wanna be good...."
The mom quickly responded "you can't just want it, you have to be it."

And I thought how profound!

I interpreted her tearful expression to be the result of her failure to acheive the good behavior
that would enable her to have whatever it was that she hoped for...
if she were good... that beautiful candy always at the check out...

As I got in my car they walked by
and I noticed the little girl did not have a right arm from the elbow down.

I realized whatever else that little girl did not have...
the gum or the popcorn or the slurpy...
that caused the tears... really didn't matter, because she had such a wise mother.

One who held to her word... be it a threat or a promise "if you're good...."
She did not give in to her child just because she produced some tears or caused a scene,
like I've see so many other parents do.

Maybe because the obstacles her daughter will have to face in life are already obvious.
And she is bound and determined to make her strong and able.
Whereas so many of us want it just to be easy for our kids,
make sure they have everything they want, everything we can give.

When really we just need to help them be strong and able...
and good...