Recap of the Mall

I ended up at the mall with nine 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls. Here's a photo of the original six. After eating lunch I gathered them all up and suggested we practice "random acts of kindness" as we shopped through the mall that afternoon, that we try to treat others like Jesus would if he were there. Their response warmed my heart. They all smiled and it seemed like a light turned on. Abbey said, "this will be fun!" Up to that point I had already seen them treating each other with kindness. Add 100+ people to a food court in a mall on Saturday and it's going to be tense. They were wonderful.

Beyond that point they became kids in a mall. Don't get me wrong, they didn't pull out the cigarettes and pair up to wreak havoc. But they did become girls on a mission - a mission to shop - not for anything in particular, just shop. I think it's in their genes - or maybe in the jeans. They were still kind and even thoughtful to each other but I didn't notice much reaching out to others and once or twice in their exuberance to enter a store they cut in front of some other people for which I immediately excused them. Then there was a time in Sharper Image where they were monopolizing the massage chairs... But overall they were precious and kind and kids but exceptional kids. It was fun. I'd even do it again - next year.