Being a GOOD Sport!

Tonight my family all rallied around one of my sons at the Pine Wood Derby.  For anyone that isn't affiliated with scouting in some degree this is a race where the boy makes a car with the help of an adult and race them with the other boys in their troop/pack.  It was lots of fun.  My husband really wanted our son to win, and he did win 3 races but was eliminated in the finals.  That is not the story I really want to share though.

There is another little boy, the age of my oldest child that was racing for the third year.  He did an amazing job.  Not at winning the races...actually his car was riding kind of low.  The amazing thing to me was his sportsmanship.  He complimented every kid on every race.  He was high fiving everyone.  Even the ones that beat him.  I was extremely impressed with this kid.  But more than the lasting impression it made on me, I was impressed with what an impact it had on my five children.  During the duration of the car ride home, all my children that can speak (4) spoke of how he was such a good sport.  My daughter was particularly impressed.  And as a mother, that is the kind of young man I want her to take notice of.  (Although it wouldn't hurt my feelings if she didn't notice any boys for at least 7 more years!)  I am thankful for this young man and his example.  At the end of the night the last award was given for sportsmanship.  That trophy was as big as the 1st place race trophy.  You can imagine how pleased I was to see it go to this fine young man.  I hope my boys will all follow in his example as the years pass.  They already respect and look up to him.

How we act and react to everything...it is noticed.  So choose wisely, speak kindly, love deeply, apologize quickly and sincerely.  And be a good sport!

Changing the world...ONE letter at a time!