She and Noah worked on a new song that was mostly about their science teacher’s terrible jokes.

It was ridiculous.

It was catchy.

It had absolutely no lesson attached to it.

I sat on the back porch and listened to them laugh through the open window.

For months I had thought I needed to teach my son that generosity was about something bigger than money.

Now I realized I also needed to teach him that a good life could contain generosity and joy at the same time.

He could care about a friend’s safety and still love his guitar.