We spent some time at the lake this very hot evening, with the crowds and the fish and the ducks. Often there I see young children chasing the ducks. It always bothers me, but they never seem to have a problem getting away, flying running or swimming. And they return rather quickly looking for scraps, so I suppose they aren't traumatized by the experience. Or at least as traumatized as I am.
But tonight I saw a boy, around fiver or six years old, throwing a tennis ball at a duck in the water. I looked around, no adult in sight. I thought perhaps he was just trying to make it swim, but when I watched more closely, it was seemed that wasn't the intent. I walked over and said as kindly as I could muster “Don't do that, you might hit him” to which he replied “That's what I want to do.” I then said in a more stern mother voice “Don't do it again. It's a mean thing to do.” I felt a little bad, as it was clear he did not understand why, and this is something that needs to be taught to a child, ideally not by a stranger lakeside.
My husband's view was that this does not qualify as an act of kindness. But my younger son, lover of all animals, had no doubt that it does. The duck did not express an opinion.
Yes I rhink that was an act of kindness because to teach someone the difference between right and wrong and to foster empathy is always well perhaps the most kind thing one can do for another because then the empathy grows and reaches out to others beyond yourself....keep up the good work
ReplyDeletecarolyn