My sister was helping her kiddos get ready for school recently when the sudden sound of shattering glass startled everyone. A vase that my sister had put on top of the fridge for "safe keeping" wasn't safe afer all.
She commented quietly to herself as she started sweeping the broken glass, "That's really too bad. That was my favorite vase."
A few minutes later, my sweet nephew approached his mom with tears in his eyes and a fistfull of crumpled dollar bills. He held out his hand and explained, "Mom, this is for you to buy a new favorite vase."
Since my sister told me about this little experience, I've thought about it repeatedly. It mattered to my nephew and really saddened him that his mom's favorite vase was broken. He was willing to give all that he had saved so that she could be happy. I wonder if I would have even thought twice about what the vase meant to my sister. Would I have been willing to give all my savings to buy a "new favorite vase?" I don't think I would have, and I feel badly about that.
I learn from this experience that little ones can teach us how to care more about the big and little events in the lives of the people that are important to us. I better understand why our Savior would command men to "become as a little children." There is much to learn and emulate!
