Meeting of Chance or Fate?

I met a young boy, who couldn't have been more than six years old, today while I was out doing some flower photography. After the terrible week I had at work, and the bad night last night with my stomach, this child had a vast effect on me, and really made me stop and be thankful for what I had, and not angry at what was going wrong.

The reason why this is, is because I was doing flower photography in a graveyard today. Graveyards always have the best flowers, don't they? But anyways, aside from the photos...

So I was taking photos, and I heard his voice calling out "Hi there, what's your name?" This is pretty strange, since I'm in a graveyard, and it was stranger to look over and see a six year old calling that out to me. So I told him my name and asked his. It was Collin, and he proceeded to tell me the following:

"Hi Samantha! I'm here praying at my Mom's grave, are you here praying too? (I told him I was not) Oh, well I come every day to pray at her grave, my grandparents bring me because I never knew my father. And my great-great-great grandfathers are in here too. One died in WWI and the other died in WWII. (I asked him if he was proud of them for dying honorably.) Yeah I am. And one day, I saw an American flag on the ground, so I picked it up and washed it at home and put it at my Mom's grave. (I didn't have the heart to tell him you're supposed to burn the flag, he was trying to right the wrong in his own way. I then asked if he liked to leave flowers at his Mom's grave too.) Yeah, I do. I pick them, well actually I'm killing them, but I pick them myself for her grave. Once I pulled out a flower's roots too, so I dug a hole and put them in it. (I asked if they were still alive.) Yes, they are! (He looked so proud. By now we were wandering towards the exit since I had to get back to my friends. I asked if he was at the playground with people.) Yeah, I am with my grandparents. I really like looking at the big gravestones in here though, they're cool. Are you leaving Samantha? (I told him yes, I had to get going.) Bye Samantha! (I said goodbye, and he waved, and ran off to go meet back up with his people at the graveyard.)"

Honestly... what are the chances? It broke my heart, but at the same time it made me so thankful that I do have a complete family, and good friends. The fact that he prays every day at his mother's grave though, and did that with the American flag... This is the kind of youth America needs. A respectful youth, and a youth that's proud of their country.

Collin is a special little boy. I really just wanted to give him a hug. I hope the rest of his life is a happy one. So far, it seems like it, but I think he's lonely.

Thank you Collin for teaching me a lesson I had forgotten.