The little things...

Sometimes, as adults, I think we forget how the little things we do for young people can seem to mean so much.
A few months ago, one of the youth asked to borrow some money - based on fact that they were all going to get paid for a certain project. Z took me aside, and quietly asked. Not because Z wanted the newest sneakers, but because Z wanted to show how much they appreciated one of their friends (ok, I know that sentence would reallly bug my dad; I'm talking about one person, yet using the plural pronoun, but their gender is irrelevent in this story, so there you go...). It was not a lot of money, but Z clearly was not completely comfortable asking. We off went to the ATM and got the money.
And I knew I'd get it back. And last night, I did. In an envelope, placed into my bag when I wasn't looking. It was clearly the bringing together of multiple 'pots' of money. And the thank you note that went with it, was touching. The way that Z crafted their thank you. The time that went into it. It was touching. I hadn't realized how something so little, which I didn't really even think about, could cause such great gratitude.
I consider it my job to be a good role model. And I work hard at that. I'm not trying to be their friend, but I am trying to be someone they can trust, someone they can turn to for help. And this latest 'event' has shown that maybe it is easier than I think. Sure we have boundaries (I keep my private life to myself, and don't want to hear the details of their relationships), but I love that they respect that.
It may not be in my job description, but I think these little things are the most important things that I do.