It was an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. My 8-year-old son, Ben, and I were walking home from the grocery store, chatting and enjoying the sunshine. Ben was full of energy, skipping along the sidewalk as I carried our bags.
As we passed a parked police car, we saw an officer standing nearby, speaking with someone. Ben stopped walking, tugged on my sleeve, and whispered, “Mom, can I ask him something?”
I assumed he was curious about the uniform or the patrol car, so I nodded. But what happened next was something I’ll never forget.
Ben approached the officer politely. The officer looked a little surprised, glancing at me as if to ask if it was okay. I gave a small nod.
Then the officer knelt down to Ben’s level.
Ben gently placed a hand on his shoulder and said quietly, “I just want to pray that you stay safe… and don’t have to hurt anyone today. And that when you go home, you still remember you’re a good person.”
For a moment, everything stopped. The officer’s expression softened. His eyes welled up with tears.
He stood up, thanked Ben sincerely, and walked back to his vehicle. The interaction was brief, but its impact lingered.
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