i had my last day at the family law firm yesterday.

i went up to court.

and there were four little black boys, probably from ages 18 months to 8 years old.

they all seemed a little behind in their development, but were sweet as could be.

they weren't our clients and i don't know their story.

i was waiting in the hall and one of them walked up to me and showed me his toy car.

"my car is wed."

and i said thats right, your car is red.

and after that, i was a goner.

all four of them rushed up to me and wanted me to tell them that they had done such a good job racing their cars.

the mom was sitting about six or seven feet away, staring into space.

i realized a little later that grandma was there too.  on the other side of the hallway.

the 18 month old grabbed my leg and hugged it.

he had something in little his mouth so i told him to spit it out - and he did. it was a little piece of wood. my heart jumped.

i looked at the mom.

i looked at grandma.

no reaction at all.

the boy hugged my leg again and BONK.

he fell and hit his face on my shin.

and he cried.

i looked at the mom.

i looked at grandma.

nothing.

so i bent down and i grabbed him and i told him he was okay.

i picked him up and i hugged him.

i looked at my coworker and told her i wanted to move.

"get out of the lady's way, now."

the women said with exhaustion.

i don't judge her. because i don't know her story.

but i do know that the little boy was in a strange place, with strange people, prisoners looking in from holding cells waiting to see the judge because they hadn't paid child support, people crying, attorneys arguing, bailiffs yelling "shhhhhhh"

maybe one of the prisoners was his dad.  maybe he was in the middle of a raging custody battle.  or maybe the court is trying to take him away.

all he needed was someone to pick him up and tell him he was okay.

this is going to be my life.

not having to take care of other people's kids, that i don't mind too much.

but loving on other people's kids.

that would otherwise bonk their heads and never get held.

have you ever read the book "the giver"?

it was my favorite.

a child is assigned the job of taking on all the pain and all the hurt and all the memories of the community so that others wouldn't have to feel it.

its a world with no color.

except the giver.

oh the giver sees color after color because of the emotions he feels.

i now understand.

that is what I'm meant to do.

take on other's hurts sometimes.

to make the world a better place.

until next time.