I was standing outside the store, scrolling on my phone, when I noticed a young boy, no older than seven, walking across the parking lot alone. At first, I thought he was with someone, but it became clear he wasn’t.
What caught my attention wasn’t just how small he looked in worn sneakers—it was the fact that he walked up to three officers near their cruisers, chatting and drinking coffee. Most people avoid cops, but the boy walked straight up, chin lifted, like he had something important to say.
I stopped scrolling.
He tugged on one officer’s sleeve, and they all looked surprised. Then he prayed aloud for their safety and kindness, his voice soft and genuine. One officer knelt to his level, another wiped his eye. The moment felt powerful.
Afterward, the boy thanked them and walked away. I thought about following, but before I could, the officers exchanged glances, still processing the moment. I decided to walk around the building to find him.
When I caught up, he was crossing the street, heading toward an alley. I followed, feeling concerned but curious. I found him petting a cat through a fence.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He looked calm, not scared. “I’m Mateo,” he said. “I prayed for those officers because my dad was a cop, and he taught me to be kind.”
He added quietly that his father had passed away the year before. My heart ached for him. “I pray for them,” he said. “It helped my dad feel less alone.”
I asked if he was alone. He said he was staying with his aunt, who had given him permission to walk. We continued walking together, and he noticed little things like a broken bottle cap, even straightening a poster on a pole.
When it started raining, a woman called his name. His aunt rushed over, relieved, and thanked me for looking out for him. She was grateful, but I could see how much she loved him, scolding him gently.
I left them and walked back to the store. As I passed where I’d first seen Mateo, I spotted a small white card on the wet ground with the message: “Be the reason someone smiles today.”
I taped it to my fridge as a reminder of the power of kindness. Even a seven-year-old who lost his dad understood that simple acts of kindness matter.
It’s a good reminder: sometimes, a little kindness is all it takes to change someone’s day.
