We have a zoo. Our children are animals. Oh-wait-no. I mean, we went to the zoo. But our children are still animals :) Look at these crazy critters...
Grandma and Grandpa Good took us. Good times (I can't help myself). Everything is magical when you look at it through a child's eyes...
While at the zoo we sat and rested ourselves at a little cluster of tables. Slowly we all started heading back to the car. Russ found a cluster of dollar bills. What to do in this situation? We talked it over, and he did the right thing-he took it to the lost and found (because we all know
that is going to work, and the teenage employee totally isn't going to pocket it).
Feeling good about making the right decision we drive home. Stopping at the store ten minutes from home (and about an hour away from the zoo) Rusty reaches in his pocket and says, "I lost my money!" Had he been there upon the discovery of the cluster of cash? No. He was back at the car before any of us. Had he been through the discussion of what was right? What was wrong? Did it matter? Would whoever have lost the money end up going to lost and found anyway? No. And now... he was out a chunk of change.
We had a good laugh. And Rusty still had no money.
I came to the conclusion that doing what is right isn't always going make things easier. It won't be convenient. People don't always say, "Good job," and the teenage employee may give you a weird, blank stare as you hand him a wad of cash. We don't see immediate blessings and say, "Aren't we glad we did the right thing? Otherwise...?"
Otherwise what? Well. Otherwise we would have done the wrong thing. And you know, I feel happier when I do the right thing. Even if Rusty is out a few bucks. Heck, even if
I'm out a few bucks. No regrets. Well, maybe we regretted not calling Rusty to ask him if the money was his :) But we didn't regret not just keeping it.
Happy ending: Russ went to the zoo and got the money back. And the teenage employee hadn't pocketed it. Way to go teenage employee. You did the right thing, too.
