Last night, as I slept, Amazon Sage took me to a place that could have been any town. It was a public area where others were sitting, too. A tough looking boy came up and demanded my money. I had a small string purse that contained only enough for me to get home so I refused to turn it over. I held onto it even as the boy tried to take it from me. He was only about 14 so I figured it was a fair fight. I know, it could have been the last thing I ever did. Then something miraculous occurred.

For some reason, I began to look at this boy as if he were my own brother or friend. With as much respect and caring as I could muster I spoke to him, not from a place of fear, but from a place of genuine concern for him. You see, as I peered into his face, I noticed that his teeth were rotted. His clothes were also in need of cleaning and his hair had probably not been washed for quite awhile. Too young to be living on his own, there was little doubt that he was. This boy was stealing because he was in pure survival mode.

What came out of my mouth surprised even me. I spoke in an even voice, from a place of genuine caring and said, “You may have my purse. Please let me give it to you; not because you are demanding it. I want to give it to you because you need it more than I do.” 

The boy hesitated. Clearly, he was not familiar with this type of response. He was prepared to deny whatever I requested, but the last thing in his mind was that he might agree with me. In these seconds of reflection, his grip on my purse loosened. I had a choice, I could pull it from his grip or.… With a soft smile, I offered it to him, freely. Hesitating briefly he took it, although I could see that he felt embarrassed. Neither of us needed to say more, but as he started to turn before sprinting off, I quietly spoke. 

“Please listen to your heart, my friend. Do not allow this to be who you become in life.”  Almost invisibly, the boy nodded his head and the hint of a smile escaped his lips before he disappeared into the crowd. 

My focus had been so completely on this boy that after he was gone and I looked around, I saw others staring at me. I didn’t know whether they were going to yell at me or shake their heads in bewilderment.

Much to my surprise, after a moment of unknowing (not unlike the boy’s when I freely offered him my purse), one old man began to clap. Then a woman placed her hands together and another man. Before long, all around me people were applauding my spontaneous gesture of grace. When all was again quiet and people were on their way, the old man came up to me and said something I’ll never forget.

“Young lady, I don’t know who you are or how you are here at this moment, but if it wasn’t for you, 60 years ago, I would not be here today. You see, when I confronted a similar young lady a very long time ago, she too changed my life.”

I listened not knowing whether to run or laugh. He continued.

“For the first time, I felt ‘known’ by another and that was worth more than all the money I could have stolen in a lifetime. Then when she said those very words, ‘Please listen to your heart, my friend. Do not allow this to be who you become only who you are in life’,” I knew she was sent by God.”

Feeling tears well up in my eyes, I briefly looked away. When I returned my gaze to respond to the old man, he was gone; disappeared into thin air. It was then I knew, he was my father. 

Happy Fathers’ Day.

PS: Fathers were sons once. How are we treating our nations’ future fathers? Are we encouraging them to honor the mothers of their children by becoming an integral part of the family? Are we ignoring their lapses in judgement with phrases like “boys will be boys?” Are we treating the boys we do not know as if they are always suspect, when what they really need to learn is how to earn our trust? When was the last time you sat down and talked with a boy about how he will protect his family and the world...?