A boy and his mother walked into the corner drug store to buy a few things. And right there on the counter was a big glass candy jar—one of those old-fashioned ones, filled to the brim with all the colors a child’s imagination could want. The boy froze. You know how kids get—locked in, mesmerized, pulled into wonder by something as simple as sugar in a jar.
The owner watched the boy stare, and with a smile he said, “Son, do you want some of this candy?”
The boy nodded—of course he did.
“Well, go ahead,” the owner said. “Stick your hand in and take a handful.”
But the boy didn’t move. He just kept staring.
Again the man encouraged him. “Go on. It’s okay. Reach in and help yourself.”
Still—nothing. The boy stood absolutely still.
Finally, the owner reached his own hand into the jar, scooped out candy, and poured it generously into the boy’s pockets. And when they got outside, the mother said, “Why didn’t you take some when he told you it was okay?”
The boy grinned. “Because his hands are bigger than mine.”
That boy understood something most adults miss: if the owner provides, you receive more than if you reach in on your own.