Being able to work with kids has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. Obviously there are many and various reasons why working with children is rewarding, but none more so than this:

I used to work at a school for those with cerebral palsy. One day my wards and I were wrapping up a baller reading session when one of the kids came up to me with a torn-out page. He told me he had absconded with the page a week ago because he liked the picture. What’s important to realize is that in our paltry library of molding books, an absent page isn’t missed. When I asked him why he was bringing the page back he said, “because taking the page was the wrong thing to do.” “And why are you confessing to this now?” “Because it’s the right thing to do.”

It is as if this boy knows who inherits the Earth! Of course, my repertoire has a hundred stories of children doing dishonest things; those who do wrong are people too. But when a child does something morally upstanding it carries more weight. If a child can do it, why can’t I?

Since its inception in classical Greece, philosophy has been questioning abstractions like justice – so I’m perfectly happy to know that stronger minds than mine are on the case! As this young man illustrates, however, everyday morality is a much simpler concept than we adults think. The daily decisions we have to make often have clear “rights” and “wrongs,” regardless of whether or not we want to think that way. Leaving a mess in the dining hall is the wrong thing to do. Failing to clean up after a picnic on one of the fields hurts us all. Hurrying by someone who fell off their bike is a problem. Choosing to ignore an agreed-upon deadline is blatantly wrong, as is the sense of indignation for the punishment it brings.

Even on the seemingly complex level of dealing with other people, the choices are pretty black and white. Respect your girlfriend; cheating is wrong. If a friend is having a problem, don’t write it off as their problem and none of your concern. If what you’re about to say is the truth, then you have to tell it, even if it is hurtful. If someone asks you a question, profound or simple, answer it. Don’t blame your past or push it off to your future. Don’t float around with evasions or excuses. Cowards make excuses and we need to be better than that. Respect other people and their rights as people, no matter how different they are from you.

Frankly, I believe that when we falter and do the wrong thing it is because the right thing is harder. There was a rather ugly incident in my Catholic high school where a few teachers had to be laid off by the principal. I pity the man who has to make these types of decisions. I don’t pity the man who chooses to notify the teachers about their termination via letters. Those are the actions of someone who has spent their lifetime choosing to do things the easy way. The principal fired teachers through five-line notes in their mailboxes. Now, my father is a responsible business owner and his commentary is something I’ll always keep with me: “Chris, if I fire a man, I’ll at least give him the courtesy of a meeting, a reason and eye contact.” It is painful, it is hard and it is the right thing to do.

Asking a girl out through a text message is the easiest thing in the world and it is wrong. Saying X will always be easier than doing X. Shirking work on a team project, ignoring emails or choosing not to donate time is far easier than choosing to man-up and do our fair share or, heaven forbid, more than our fair share.

So, it’s my turn to get in on the page tearing action. Each day I try to be more like that kid, because he has it down. Figuring out the everyday right and wrong doesn’t require a philosophy degree, it requires common sense and caring. When we err, let us err towards honesty, transparency and the golden rule.

Emailing Chris is the right thing to do – and it’s also easy! Reach him at [email protected].