What we don't say

 "Awww, look. That's nice.  He's putting birdseed out for the birds."

    I knew the young man was spreading salt on the icy walk of the store we had just left. 

I also knew that I thought I knew it was salt, but I had not seen the substance up close to really know what it was, nor had I seen the container that the young man had scooped out of.  I imagined, based on the conditions and my past experience with icy sidewalks, that salt was sprinkling down from the scoop, not birdseed.  

So what?

Recognizing and basking in the moment of my child's joy and celebrating with him is infinitely more important than correcting him as to the exact substance and intent of the scene we were witnessing.  I imagined salt being spread to make customers more comfortable walking into the store, but also possibly to avoid a potential lawsuit in our current society of "blame someone else for my fall on the ice".  My beautiful child imagined a kind young man braving the elements of a Michigan winter to offer birdseed to hungry birds.  

Yes.  Yes to the world that he imagines.  

I am raising my child by the things I don't say.  I am supporting his imagination and his natural belief in the goodness of people.  He is showing me that the world is a kind and generous place, if only I will look at it that way.  Brilliant genius.  

I am the lucky one.