A Strong Sense of Justice

Posted byAbPosted inADHD, adoption, FASD, growth mindset, Parenting, Resiliency, wellbeingTags:, , ,

At a parent-teacher interview a few years ago, T’s Grade 1 teacher said T has a strong sense of justice.

Despite the challenges we navigate with T, his general sense of right and wrong, and doing the right thing and speaking up when he feels he or others are wronged, gives us hope he will be ok.

Two Sundays ago, in the midst of feeling ongoing stress from still-unresolved challenges with his school principal, the hubby and I were startled by T who came home from the park crying.

“Someone stole my bike!” he said, in tears.

T had left the bike by the playground and went playing by the field and climbed trees – and when he came back, the bike was gone.

I was originally quite annoyed by T’s lack of awareness, but that quickly turned into anger that someone would steal a bike from a child.

T’s bike means a lot to him. He goes biking every day to regulate himself and it brings him a lot of enjoyment.

It made me sick and feel violated that this happened in our safe neighbourhood.

The following evening, after work and T’s tutoring session, we created a poster that had the message below and included the photo above:

  • BIKE THEFT ALERT
  • On (date), our son’s bike was stolen from (park name), while he momentarily stepped away to play in the field.
  • Please watch your belongings.
  • Shame on the thief for stealing from a child!

I let T know that the chances of someone returning the bike was very low, but it was important that we speak up about our injustice and try to hold people accountable for their actions.

T was just as fired up as I was.

We went for an evening walk and put up the poster near the park.

A week later, also on a Sunday afternoon, T ran inside the house excitedly, “Someone wrote a note on the sign! They have the bike!”

We walked outside with T and sure enough, there was a message.

The hubby wrote his number down on the sign and received a call in the early evening.

We met up by the sign – and I was ready to call the police if it was a scam. A man who lived across from the park said he took the bike because it had been unattended for a while.

I didn’t want to question the truthfulness of his story. Regardless of the real reason he took and returned the bike, it’s been returned.

So I asked T to thank the man.

I was thankful that T was reunited with something that brings him so much joy – and that our efforts to speak up were met with a sense of justice.

The following day, as I drove T home from school, he went on a rant about how Mondays are the worst day of the week.

“There are still 4 days of school left!” He said with conviction. “How come there are only 2 days to relax but there are 5 days of school and work?”

After pausing, he told to me to ask God about his complaint.

Something tells me that God has bigger injustices to deal with at this time!

52 thoughts on “A Strong Sense of Justice”

  1. Wow! What a story. I loved your sign because it not only told about the bike missing but created shame for the thief
    Maybe the guy across the street was a Good Samaritan but how did he expect to let the rightful owner know.
    Anyway not the point. T got his bike and you had another meaningful story with insight. I call that a win-win! ❤️

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    1. Thanks Vickie! 💕 We decided not to question the man’s story and motive and focus instead on the goodness of the bike being returned. Definitely a win-win for us! 🙏

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  4. Lol, I love T’s complaint – very intelligent point he’s making there and the weekend does have a habit if flying by, bless him 💛😉 maybe by the time he’ older, the four day working week might be the norm…still being talked about and piloted in some companies 🤔

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    1. Thanks Cherryl! Let’s hope we don’t have to wait until he’s older to enjoy a 4-day work week! I see it being piloted to great success in your part of the world! 😊

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  7. I’m so glad you got the bike back! Cracking up about the injustice of 5 days of work/school and only 2 days to relax. Sadly, it seems that’s a sentiment that isn’t grown out of. 😛

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  8. Glad to hear that your poster actually worked and that T’s bike was returned! I never would have thought to even try that approach and would just have assumed it’s a goner. Not quite sure I buy that story from that man, but, at least he had it in his heart to do the right thing. And you know, T raises a very legitimate question – why are there are only 2 days of the week off?!

    Hope you had a happy Halloween and that T got a good haul from trick or treating. We just did a lap around the block and that was all the energy our little one had for the evening before bed.

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    1. Thanks Linda. I am on the same boat as you as not entirely buying the man’s story but I focused on the positive outcome: the bike was returned. 😊

      Halloween was so much fun this year. Had an awesome haul and we ran out of candy! I had a good sleep after two hours of walking around. Glad to hear you got a lap around the block! 😊

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      1. That’s awesome! And impressive that you guys walked around for two hours!! We were a bit concerned about the weather, but thankfully it wasn’t rainy. Just windy. We didn’t get many trick or treaters (we’re on a quiet cul-de-sac), which means plenty of leftovers for us to gorge on!

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  9. Oh I’m so happy to find out that this has a happy ending! I think it’s important to teach our children what’s right and wrong, and speaking up for an injustice is definitely very commendable. About his complaint, I wonder when we should tell him that most of us feel the same way. 😆

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    1. Thanks Bama! We’re so glad the bike was returned. And yes, so so important to teach kids about right and wrong from an early age. 😊 And about work-life balance and injustices. 🤣

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      2. Last night’s game was hard and tonight will be so tense. I’m hopeful they’ll win but my goodness will it be devastating if they don’t! Fingers crossed. 🙏

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  11. Sounds like an odd excuse from the guy about taking the bike. Regardless, I’m very glad that the bike was returned! I think the poster was a great idea, because you’re doing something about the loss of the bike and speaking up. And it worked!

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    1. Thanks Dave. I was not entirely convinced of the man’s story, if I can be honest. But I’m focused on the positive outcome that the bike was returned. We are so thankful speaking up worked out in this regard! 😊

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  12. Can you see me smiling? 💝 My heart growing? T is a treasure is so many ways. I love how you demonstrate living with grace and openness – posting a sign about the bike, not debating the man’s story. Receiving. Embracing those moments when things work out. Sending huge hugs to all of you. And if you get an answer from God about T’s astute query about only having two days to relax, let me know. Deal? xo!

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    1. Thanks Vicki. I think you said it best: trying to live life with grace and openness. It’s not easy but it does make life better. And I’ll be sure to let you know what God has to say about T’s request! 🤣

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  13. Although my gut tells me the guy is a bit suspicious, possibly having a change of heart after seeing the flyers posted, but I’ll focus on the positive outcome in T getting his bike back. Of course that’s what matters in the end.

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  14. I’m so glad there was a happy ending to this story and T and his bike were reunited! My boys often use their bikes for the same reasons and would be absolutely heartbroken if theirs went missing! They also feel the same about the 5-day week with only 2-days to relax 😂 (but don’t we all?!)

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  15. Wow – he got his bike back! The sign was a genius way to show T how to speak out against injustice. That it worked makes this an incredible story all around. May T’s voice for justice continue to be strong!

    You might mention to T that in the story of creation, God only got 1 day to rest. 😉

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    1. Thanks Wynne! I’m laughing at your comment about God’s 1 day of rest! I’m going to have to mention that to T! 😊

      The poster was really meant to vent my frustration and get a point across to T and to the person that took the bike. It certainly exceeded all our expectations!

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  16. So many great life lessons embedded into one incident. I’m happy that T got his bike back and that no one actually stole it.

    Haha, to the unfairness of the school schedule. Maybe it should be five days off for every two days at school. Maybe God will raise this on his list of problems to solve.😊

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  17. lots of great lessons here! I was really sad that someone would take a child’s bike first of all and you learned about the power of actively trying to get it back by using the written word. the man who returned it was kind to do so, no matter what led up to it, amnesty style. I so get T’s frustration with only 2 days to chill, I think we’ve all had this same issue at times!

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    1. Thanks Beth! I was infuriated when the bike was taken and I’m so glad it worked out in the end and it was returned. And why it was important T thanked the man. It was also a good life lesson for T. 😊

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  18. Amazing that the man actually responded to the sign and returned the bike! But I’m glad he did. Tell T that I have asked that question many, many times in the past. It does seem a bit unfair, doesn’t it?

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  19. I’m glad to hear the bike was returned despite the story of the man. At least, T will enjoy his bike again. I hope T got holidays from school, so there will be a long weekend.🤭 Yeah, why is it only two?🤩

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    1. Thanks Hazel. I’m glad it worked out too! We don’t get sembreaks in the fall semester but the Christmas break will be here soon! 😊

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  20. So glad that T got his bike back after you put the word out with that little nudge Ab. I love T’s thoughts on work/school and life balance! I think an extra day, or maybe two would be totally appropriate for relaxation. He may however think otherwise when he’s an adult and has to pay bills 😉

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    1. Thanks Deb. It was an unexpectedly pleasant outcome and I hope a good life lesson for T about speaking up. And yes, T will have a different perspective when he becomes an adult with bills to pay! 😆

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  21. What a roller coaster! I’m so glad to hear the bike was recovered, and that T (and everyone) learned a lesson about speaking up in the face of injustice. Also, T’s complaint about the work-play imbalance gave me a chuckle! 😆

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    1. Thanks Erin! Roller coaster is a great way to describe the flurry of emotions in the recent while. I’m glad it worked out with the bike and provided a good life lesson for T too! 😊

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