little child makes a thoughtful gesture for his divorced mother by taking her out on a date, and the next day, dozens of men appear in their doorway to do something heartwarming for her.It had been a long day for six-year-old Simon. He had to wake up early to get ready for school, go to his classes, come home and do his homework, and now it was time for bed. But Simon was not tired. His mind was racing with thoughts of his mother.

Rachel had been divorced from Simon’s father for over a year. She worked long hours to support them, and she was always tired when she came home. Simon tried to be good, but he knew he was a handful. Rachel would often snap at him, and sometimes she would cry.

That night, Simon pretended to be asleep when Rachel entered his room. He could tell she had cried earlier, and he hated seeing her so sad. But he also knew that she needed some time to herself. So he stayed still and clutched his soft toy tightly until she left the room. Then he was up instantly, staring at his piggy bank as an idea popped into his head…
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels

The next day, when Simon returned from school, Rachel wasn’t home. She had left a note for him on the fridge saying their neighbor, Mrs. Green, would be there to look after him while she was away.

Simon knew the timing was perfect. Before Mrs. Green arrived, he went to his room and took Charlie, his piggy bank, from the shelf.

Before the man could answer, another man approached Simon, and then another, and then several others. “MOM! There are so many people here!” Simon ran inside to Rachel, terrified.
“I’m sorry, Charlie,” he apologized. “You know we’re best friends, and I would never do this to you. But mom needs you.”

Simon was so sad to break the piggy bank that he closed his eyes when he dropped it on the floor. As it shattered into pieces, a clattering of coins filled the room.

“One, two, three…” Simon began to count the money with his tiny hands, carefully separating coin after coin from the broken pieces.

For illustration purposes only. | Source: PexelsIn the end, it totaled $20, and Simon’s happiness knew no bounds. “This is enough! Mom, I’ll get you the best surprise for your birthday! You’ll never be sad again!” he told himself, grinning.Two days later, on Rachel’s birthday, Simon took her to a cafe. He didn’t tell her about his surprise yet and waited until they were there.“No, mom! Wait!” he stopped Rachel as she was about to open the cafe door. He wanted to open it for her. “After you,” he said and swung the door open.“Oh,” Rachel laughed, surprised. “Thank you very much, honey!”Simon ran to the table ahead of Rachel and slid the chair out for her, surprising her even more.

“Have a seat, mom. I have a surprise for you!” he said, and Rachel didn’t understand what was happening.For illustration purposes only. | Source: PexelsSoon, the waitress brought them drinks and french fries. “Happy birthday, ma’am,” she said. “You have an adorable son. He came over with your neighbor yesterday and planned this little surprise for you. And because we wanted to do something extra for you, we made some lemon tarts. They’re on the house. Don’t worry about the bill. Simon settled it already.”“But, sweetie, where did you get the money?” asked Rachel, worried, as her eyes filled with tears.“I had to break Charlie, mom. But I don’t regret it. I am a big boy, you see. I told Charlie that.”

Rachel couldn’t control her tears at this point.“You don’t need to be sad that dad left us, mom. I’m here. I don’t like it when you cry in the middle of the night. I always want you to be happy!” Charlie added. “Wipe your tears, mom, and please be my date for tonight! May I?” He got down on one knee and invited Rachel for a dance.For illustration purposes only. | Source: PexelsThe waitress, Lincy, played Rachel’s favorite song, and Rachel couldn’t help but shed happy tears as she obliged her little boy. Simon’s surprise was not anything grand or expensive. In fact, it was a modest date at a simple cafe close to their home, but it was her best birthday ever because it was a gift from Simon’s heart.The other customers in the cafe tried their hardest not to cry when they saw what Simon had done, but they all failed. They couldn’t stop their tears from falling, and soon after, cheers and birthday wishes for Rachel filled the entire place.

Rachel had the best birthday and the best day of her life.The next day was a Sunday, and Simon was playing in his room when he heard a knock on the door. Rachel was busy in the kitchen, so he decided to answer the door where a stranger stood with a bouquet in his hands.“Who are you, sir?” Simon asked in his tiny, squeaky voice.For illustration purposes only. | Source: PexelsBefore the man could answer, another man approached, and then another, and then several others. “MOM! There are so many people here!” Simon ran inside to Rachel, terrified.When Rachel approached the door, she was shocked. “How may I help you guys?” she asked, startled to see dozens of men on her doorstep.

The first visitor smiled and said, “Hi, I’m William. I’m a local journalist, and I saw what your son did for you yesterday at the café. It was impressive…Didn’t expect that from such a young kid. In fact, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t move me. I published a story about it in my newspaper and on my Facebook page yesterday, and I had emails from several men who wanted to make up for your husband’s absence…Happy birthday!”For illustration purposes only. | Source: PexelsAs Rachel accepted the flowers from the men on her doorstep, her tears didn’t stop. She looked back at her son, who was smiling at her broadly, and in her thoughts, she said a silent thank you to God.“I was so upset about my loss that I didn’t see the gem I was blessed with.