My six month old son and I were visiting a local boot and shoe repair shop owned by an Amish family; one of my favorite leather boots needed a new heel cap and this store is just a few miles from my home in southern Iowa, making it very convenient! We browsed for a bit after handing over the boot that needed mending, then – being just a half year old – my little man was getting a bit antsy toward the end of our visit.

As a new mom, I wasn’t quite in the habit yet of always having toys on hand for such instances (you learn quickly, though!). The proprietor of the shop, a youngish man I would estimate to be in his twenties, noticed my son’s restlessness. Anticipating the “fussing” that was sure to come next, he quickly came to our rescue by getting my son’s attention and handing him a brightly colored bouncy ball. The smile on my son’s face was immediate and that ball has since become one of his favorite toys.

While this was a “little thing” to the Amish store owner, it meant a great deal to me to be on the receiving end of his kindness. The ball has now found its way under (or behind) just about every piece of furniture we own and regularly entertains our cat as well. 🙂 The accompanying photo is of my son and I playing with the ball together this morning; he is now 13 months old.

Story submitted by: D. Hill