What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

A Fictional Boy Solves All the World’s Problems

I’ve been putting off my weekly Monday post, because honestly, it’s been a lot this past weekend.

I just crawled into my freshly made bed, clean sheets inviting me to slumber. And yet, I felt compelled to say something…what it was, I wasn’t quite sure. I’ve had plenty of thoughts, feelings, and questions, like many Americans this weekend. Not the least of which was, “Where do we go from here?”

And then I thought about my favorite book of all time. Many would call it a children’s book, as it is simple with roughed out pencil drawings, accompanying just a few words on each page. However, it cannot be called a children’s book when we adults have not yet learned the simple lessons presented on every single page.

Artwork by Charlie Mackesey

The book is called The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. And as far as I’m concerned, it should be required reading every year for every student in grades K-12…until we have mastered the art of kindness.

And if we, as a people, as a country, still have not learned how we should treat one another, we should read it again as adults.

You see, kindness belongs to no one religion, no one political party, no one color or creed or country. Kindness belongs to no one and everyone at once.

And the beauty is this: the more you share kindness, the more contagious it is.

Artwork by Charlie Mackesy

Indeed, when we put our efforts, our focus, our intentions on being kind, we find that many of our problems just fall away. We end up caring for one another, looking after one another, sharing with one another, and simply becoming better.

Kindness is how we survive…kindness is how we thrive. Can we please take a few lessons from the tale of a boy without a home, who befriends a cake-loving mole, a conniving fox, and a wise-beyond-words horse? This group of unlikely friends will touch your heart in ways you least expected.

There you have it, neighbors. Go get yourself a copy. I was gifted this book about 2.5 years ago. And since that time, I’ve given it as gifts more than 37 times.

Perhaps it’s time for a little more kindness.

Until next week…be kind to one another, dear neighbors.

—Angie