You know what I appreciate?

People who do things, "just because."

Just because something makes a playground-full of little children happy.

Most of you probably know that I work in the same building that houses Iliya's childcare center. It's fantastic, for quick trips down to look at him from the observation booth, as well as for the possibility of emergencies. But there's that other side benefit I've come to appreciate.

My office is in the back corner of our building & I have a great view of the side & back parking lots. I can't see it, because it is around the corner, but right next to the back parking lot is the daycare playground.

And at least once a week, the trash truck makes his morning dumpster rounds while the children are out on the playground. I hear his horn beep, and I look out my office window to see the driver waiving. I know that there are probably at least 15 children, plastered against the fence, waving, and shouting at the trash truck.

Every couple of weeks, a campus police officer will make afternoon rounds and will take a little time to park the car right outside the playground fence, turn on the lights, and then get out to visit with the children. I can usually see the police car, but have to use my imagination, to picture the excitement of the children. I actually happened upon this visit one time, when I went to pick Iliya up. My imagination had not been far off. Most of the children were up against the fence, waving, and smiling. A select few were a little unsure, but not my Iliya. For an hour after we got home, he talked about the "woo woo woo" that came to visit the school.

And just this afternoon, I happened to glance out my back window, and there was the fire truck, with his lights on. He tapped on the horn, and I could see each of the firefighters smiling and waving at the children.

It just makes me feel really good whenever busy people take just a minute or two out of their busy schedule to do something that seems so insignificant to themselves...but means the world to a child.