I find myself in NY city once again, enjoying the raw energy of the people, the busses and the huge buildings. Even the garbage and cigarette smoke adds something unique to the scene.

Somehow, in the midst of all the roughness, moments of stunning humanity seem to happen each time I’m here – either on a bus or waiting for one. (Taxis are for those who want to go through life without stopping to enjoy it. They just want to get somewhere fast and not enjoy the trip. Add to that the fact that I’d rather spend the $40 on a fabulous meal.)

Waiting at a bus stop on Amsterdam Ave, we were joined by a harried mother with a jumpy little boy and two older daughters. The little guy reached the bench first and scooted over to make some room.

He motioned excitedly to his mother, showing her the six inch space next to him, and she tiredly sat down. He looked down and saw she didn’t have enough room, and immediately jumped off the bench so his his mother could make herself comfortable. He waved his arm expansively and said It’s all for you Mommy, you sit, as he danced around her.

This morning as I was getting ready to leave to the airport my own little (6 ft tall) boy touched my heart big time by giving me a gift for my journey. I was getting ready to leave him for a significant amount of time to fend for himself and he was taking care of me.

The mother at the bus stop wasn’t exactly acting worthy of love. She seemed anxious, distracted, tired, annoyed. But her little fella wanted to make her happy – it was his absolute joy and delight to give his mother the whole piece of bus stop bench to rest her weary bones.

There’s something in these sweet little – and big – boys that wants so deeply to make their mamas happy and cared for.

It goes both ways. As mothers, our job is to love and to give and to love and to give. In those moments when our boys (or our girls) give back it is so deeply beautiful and precious.