My husband and I had the pleasure of accompanying our two children, ages six and almost two, to the Mt. Lebanon Easter Egg Hunt. As this was our first hunt, we weren’t sure what to expect. How relieved we were to find a well-organized event run by a friendly and welcoming staff of community members and Girl Scouts.
Before the hunt began, an announcement reminded us to “be a good neighbor,” but I doubt that any participants needed the reminder. At least four different times, I witnessed children who were upset about the low number of eggs they had collected. Their tears stopped when they were approached by other children who handed them eggs out of their own baskets. Not to be outdone, the mischievous Girl Scouts also walked around with garbage bags full of plastic eggs and slyly “laid” more eggs when they saw an empty basket.
A town in Colorado recently cancelled their egg hunt due to overzealous parents fighting to secure an egg for their children. How comforting it is to know that our own community prizes not tangible rewards, but instead treasures friendship, kindness and empathy.
Eve Kollar