Lenten Policewoman, Age 7

One of my youngest daughter’s chores on Thursday is gathering all the individual trash bags from the bedrooms and bathrooms and depositing them in a larger bag to be carted down to the curb.

This morning, bearing a half dozen plump former grocery bags, she came over to me and whispered: “Dad, look what I found on the top of the trash in one of the waste baskets.”

I looked down to see her holding up a candy wrapper and, in that parental so what way, said: “Mmmm-hmmm.”

She said, “Dad … look at it: ‘Milk Chocolate with Almonds’ … we’re not supposed to be eating milk chocolate!”

Assuming the offender was an older sibling, one with whom she never ceases to tempt, argue, and play (see the pic above), I said: “Was it you?”

She said, emphatically: “No-o-o!”

I said, “Well, good. Just worry about yourself during the Fast, Sweetie. Just work on yourself.”

As her Dad is wont to say: You preach most what you most need to learn. 🙂

UPDATE: Further investigation has revealed that the offending wrapper was found on the floor a few days ago — hence, before the Fast — and was just recently thrown in the trash. (No charges have been filed.)