Finders Keepers

Yesterday we headed to the grocery store for our weekly allotment of food items. Just as I was picking out some lovely Pink Lady apples to juice-up for lunch I hear Henry say, "Look Momma, money...Finders keepers, losers weepers." My initial reaction is to look around, was someone in the immediate vicinity that may have dropped it. Nobody close by, and too many in the near distance, in all directions, to ask. I took the money from Henry and unfolded it. $120.00. Yeah! "That's a lot of money. Okay, we need to do something with this." Henry repeats, "Finders keepers, losers weepers. Right, Momma?" I respond, "Well, no Henry. Actually this is a lot of money and someone is going to be missing it." He didn't argue nor did he know that the amount was quite substantial. We turned the money into the store manager and proceeded to check out. We talked about the occurrence on the way home and the importance of turning the money in even though we could have used it.
Today I have given some thought to that situation. I can't help but reflect back on Henry's words of, "finders keepers, losers weepers." Now, I am sure that we have said that to the boys, in what context I cannot recall. What I do know is that it would have been in some sort of a silly scenario. A dropped M&M, or perhaps the blue Lego needed to complete some sort of structure. I don't know how many similar sayings we have introduced to their little spongy brains, but this is one that I wish we had not. It is my goal to raise compassionate, conscientious humans, that go forth into the world with a mindful existence that helps others less fortunate or in need. This silly little phrase taught quite the opposite.
I later phoned the grocery store to inquire of the money. The "loser weeper" was in fact a weeping elderly woman that realized her money was missing as she approached the check-out stand. It is to my relief that she was able to go home with her weekly (or perhaps monthly) allotment of food items. I now need to deprogram this silly little saying and make sure we are more conscientious as to what we say.
I was happy to tell the boys that the money was indeed returned to its rightful owner and Clark decided to reward them by taking them out for pizza. No good deed goes unnoticed, right?
Thanks for listening...