There are moments as a mother that I want to capture for the remainder of my part in this life.  They represent success, at least defined by what I pray and hope for my children.  They are the chunks I hold onto when the going gets tough and I think everything I do is a failure.  Here is one of them:

There is a boy in Ethan's grade who has always struggled with behavior and getting along with other children. I don't know his full story as we have not been in his class until this year.  However, his reputation as a big problem in the classroom did preceed him.  Somewhere along the holidays, this boy decided that he was tired of always being in trouble, ready to change his reputation and learn to be friends with his classmates.  He wanted a complete "do-over."  Therefore he chose to stand in front of the entire grade and ask for their forgiveness and ask for them to allow him to start again.  Just typing this portion of the story brings me to tears.  What a brave, brave young man.

The teachers knew of his plan, but they were very nervous of the reaction of some 50 other kids.  They weren't sure how it was going to play out and how to conclude it.

After this boy finished his spiel, Ethan, my Ethan, raised his hands.  His teacher called on him and according to the teacher, he said something like:  I think I we can all agree that we really need to apologize to you, too.  We haven't always been the friend you needed or treated you fairly.  So please forgive us.

Ethan never said a word about this entire event to me.  The principal and his teachers did.  They were impressed by the maturity of his response.  I was pretty surprised as well.  However, if I think deeply, I shouldn't have been.  His heart has always been sweet and full of compassion for others.  This was a day that it shined just a little brighter.