My oldest boy Henry is extremely competetive. But we don’t discourage it. It’s just a part of who he is (no surprise really, my husband and I both are as well) and I love seeing him learn how to be disciplined and work so hard, even when he is tired.
He will even hold his side while running if he gets a side-stitch, fighting back tears, refusing to stop for fear of losing.
However, his competitive nature is also combined with the sweetest spirit.
He told me last week after an exceptionally successful game (he scored all 7 of his team’s goals…proud mama moment) that it made him really sad when his friends didn’t score any goals.
So today, I felt my heart swell when Henry acted out one of the kindest, most selfless gestures I’ve seen from a four year old.
Henry had the ball, ran it all the way down the field, then, right in front of the goal came to a complete stop. He passed it about 2 feet to his friend Jake who took a shot at the goal – much to the elation of his parents. Jake’s whole demeanor changed after this incident. He ran faster, went for the ball like never before, and was “into” soccer for the first time all season.
I am actually crying writing this because I realize that, even at the age of four, God is using Henry to change the lives of others.
When I asked him later why he let Jake score the goal instead of himself, he replied that Jake was the only boy on the team who had not yet scored a goal.
These past few days with Henry have been really hard. He’s been testing my authority more than normal. Not outright definance, but he is very independent and simply wants to be doing things that are his idea, not mine.
Moments like these are the ones that we need as parents to help us stay motivated, consistent, encouraged.
It reminded me that all of these things that we have been teaching him these past four years really are sinking in. He was able to think of someone else, and be selfless, even in the heat of a game.
I’m not at all taking credit for his kind gesture today. Before he was born we prayed (and had friends pray) for certain character traits that we hoped for him to have.
Kindness was one of them.
So yeah, I’m super proud of my little guy. He’s well on his way to becoming a great man, just like his Dad.
live well. be well.