How refreshing.

I was driving in Kea‘au, stopped at a light, when three middle school-age kids in their dark green school t-shirts, two boys and a girl, walked across the street in front of me.

They’d obviously just come out of McDonald’s because they held McDonald’s bags and cups. As they got to the other side of the street, laughing and talking, they tossed their trash to the ground.

Oh, the thoughts that raced through my head: “What is the matter with them?” “WHO RAISED THEM?” “Why doesn’t one of those kids call the others on it?” “When my daughter is older, will she speak up if her friends do something stupid?” “Can I raise her so she’ll say, ‘That’s not cool’ if her friends do that?” And more.

It was just a couple moments later — because you know how fast thoughts can flit through your head — that those kids stopped, turned around, and picked up their trash. And then they moved on. 

That’s cool.