Choose Kind or Right?

I ran across a quote while reading the book Wonder that really made me think: "When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind." We have a lot of "I'm right & you're wrong!" going on in our house. Over such things as Mom-poured-the-milk-but-then-put-the-glass-out-of-reach. In time for dinner one night last week, I wrote the quote in big letters on a piece of paper and left it on the island where we eat dinner. Bill was in China, so he didn't get to participate. (He misses so many indescribable Malcolm moments.)

I started off saying that I thought it was a great quote but could see a potential problem with it. "Yeah!" Will agreed. "If there's a robber, you don't have to be kind to him!" Yup, when choosing between right and kind, you still have to abide by your conscience.

We had a bit more conversation, Liam mostly listening to this hyperbole. I wrapped up the lesson. "So at the end of the day, like with school friends, it's better to be kind than to be right."

"Well, Mom," Liam responded with a shrug, "at the end of the day we get to go home. So it doesn't really matter."

"Help," croaked I, just before a belly chortle.

Happy Literal Hump Day!