MY 8-YEAR-OLD SON GAVE UP HIS LUNCH MONEY TO BUY A LITTLE GIRL WITH DOWN SYNDROME A RED DRESS — THE NEXT MORNING, OUR LAWN WAS COVERED WITH FIFTY LUNCHBOXES.

My mother-in-law, Carol, was visiting when Noah proudly showed us the dress.

“You skipped lunch for that?” she laughed.

Then she shrugged.

“You’re wasting your money. Lucy doesn’t even understand birthdays.”

Noah’s smile faded.

“She knows when someone’s kind to her.”

The next afternoon, he gave Lucy the dress at her little backyard party.

She squealed when Rachel put it on her, grabbed the skirt with both hands, and twirled until she nearly fell over.

Noah laughed harder than anyone.

That night, I told Noah how proud I was of him.

At 6:30 the next morning, he burst into my bedroom.

“Mom! You have to see this!”