It was just an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. My 8-year-old son Ben and I were walking home from the store—he was chatting happily while I juggled a few grocery bags. As we passed a police officer standing near the corner, Ben gently tugged my sleeve and asked, “Can I say something to him?”
I thought he was curious about the badge or uniform, so I nodded.
To my surprise, Ben walked up, looked at the officer and asked, “Excuse me, sir… can I pray for you?”
The officer paused, clearly taken aback, but then knelt down to Ben’s level. With one hand on his shoulder, Ben quietly said, “I pray you stay safe, don’t have to hurt anyone, and remember that you’re a good person.”
In that moment, my heart swelled. I hadn’t realized how deeply Ben had been thinking about the world around him.
Later, when I asked him why he did it, he simply said, “I thought maybe he needed someone to care. People forget police officers can feel scared too.”
A few days later, that same officer saw us again and thanked Ben. He’d just come from a difficult call and said Ben’s words had stayed with him—they meant more than he could say.
Weeks later, during a neighborhood block party, I noticed a familiar face—this time out of uniform. The officer was smiling, carrying a dish to share, and walked over like an old friend.
What began as a simple walk home turned into a powerful reminder: small acts of kindness, especially from children, can leave lasting impacts we never expect.
