Star of the Moment

My son got an award at work today-

"Star of the Moment" it's called.

He listened when a girl at the school

said she was scared for her friend.

"She has bruises,"

she told him,

and convinced her friend to show him.

"We need to talk to someone else,"

he said;

"we need to make sure you're okay."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm scared,"

she answered.

"I don't want to get in trouble."

He assured her she wasn't in trouble

and thanked her for talking to him,

and he walked with her to the office.

He stayed as long as he was allowed

and told her friend

"thank you for telling me."

And when the principal asked the girls

what it was that allowed them to talk to him

(to my son)

they told her they trusted him.

"He's our trusted adult,"

they said.

And when he told me about it

I could tell he felt the weight of that trust

and the weight of her words

and the weight of her fear.

So I hugged him

and thanked him for telling me

and sat with him and listened

and told him how grateful I am

for the person he is.

And as much as I love the recognition for him

and as much as I know it's not about that,

I have to admit

(I said this part to myself)

"Star of the moment"

seems a bit of an understatement

to me.