Waiting at the mall for a table at a restaurant last week, I saw a young boy, probably three years old, spot a piece of paper on the floor.
Very matter-of-factly, he walked over and picked up the paper. He was already headed toward the trash can when his mother cautioned him that he shouldn’t pick it up.
But the boy was determined to throw away that piece of paper.
The lobby was busy; many people were coming and going, and a dozen or more people were also waiting, but nobody but that boy would pick up and throw away that bit of litter. And I doubt anyone else noticed that he did.
He didn’t make a big deal about it. Rather, it seemed like it was a natural thing to do — leave the place a little better than he found it.
I’m thinking I was watching a future Scout. I hope I’m right.
Image: keattikorn / freedigitalphotos.net
This post first appeared on Bobwhite Blather.
