The Bearded Man

He had 2 of his own young children to entertain and look out for, and with whom he was exploring the wonders of shore life.  But within a very brief span, he became the Universal Father to about a dozen children who appeared to be ages 5 to 11...none of whom had a father present on the beach.  They approached him at first to watch what he was doing with that net and bucket, but soon they wanted to participate.  And every single one of them was not only allowed, but welcomed into the fray by this soft-spoken gentle giant.

Though it may not seem like a big deal, the truth is, not all would have been so open-hearted and hospitable.  He had no obligation to engage with them, to answer and feed their sense of wonder, to invite them to join in the adventure, to even acknowledge them at all.  Yet each one of those children - and probably their mothers too - were enriched by the kindness of a stranger acting as a benevolent father to the fatherless.  

I was reminded how little it sometimes requires to propagate joy in the world, and how much I want to show up in the world like that Bearded Man.