Last weekend, I took my 92-year-old dad to the mall. At the food court, he noticed a teen with brightly colored spiked hair. The boy jokingly asked, “Never done anything fun in your life?”
Dad calmly replied, “I didn’t color my hair, but I tried to brighten the world with kindness, respect, and joy. Express yourself however you like—just remember your character shines brightest.”
The teen softened, whispered “thank you,” and Dad went back to eating. I was amazed—appearances may catch the eye, but character leaves the deepest impression.
Later, when my husband repeatedly missed our baby’s ultrasounds, I followed him, fearing the worst. To my surprise, he was attending a support group for parents who have lost a child, quietly processing grief I hadn’t known he carried.