Fantastic Friday - Jaden Hayes' Gift of Smiles

They say children are resilient.  I think this young man, however, is in a league of his own.  Jaden Hayes, who lives in America, in Savannah, Georgia, has been through a lot in his 6 years.  In 2013, his father died.  Last year, in July, his mother unexpectedly died in her sleep.

His mother’s sister, Barbara DiCola, is now his guardian.  She recalled how, while tucking him into bed one night, he told her that he was tired of everybody having frowny faces.  “We need to make people smile,” said Jaden.  Agreeing with him, she asked how they would go about doing that.  He replied with the straightforward simplicity of a child: “We have to walk around and make people smile.”

She told him to sleep on it.  And he did, waking her in the early hours of the morning with ideas.  Jaden asked if she could buy some toys so he could give them to people who looked sad.  She bought some little toys, and off they went into town.

Looking out for people who appeared unhappy, he made a beeline for them.  When he handed them a little toy, they inevitably asked what it was for.  And he said that they weren’t smiling, and he wanted them to smile.

His aunt, understandably, is bursting with pride at how her nephew, through such a simple act, is showing how loving and strong he is, and compassionate too.  She’s convinced that, without him, she would have been in pieces after losing her sister.  But, even though Jaden has lost so much already, “he’s worried about making other people smile.  It’s his joy.  It makes him happy.”

What an amazing little guy.