"Hufflepuff!" -The Sorting Hat

If you have no idea what the title means, then move along; don't waste your time reading this because you obviously haven't read Harry Potter... and we probably shouldn't be friends.

In the series, the Sorting Hat is an old hat that sorts first year students into one of the four respective houses. Hufflepuff is known as being the house valuing hard work, patience, loyalty, and fair play rather than focusing on a particular aptitude in its members. Hufflepuffs value the group as a whole and are known for tolerance. Hufflepuff is the house of general human decency and kindness. Sadly, the Hufflepuff house gets almost as much hate as Slytherin.

If you think about it, J.K Rowling pretty much covered society in defining the four houses; we all fit somewhere and life pretty much sorts you. People who know anything about Harry Potter and the four houses, have probably mentally sorted their friends and family. Or maybe you haven't... and that's just me.

Anyway, I digress. Today, I realized my son is a Hufflepuff.

From the moment he woke, Toby said he wanted to go for a hike at the "Bird Bond" (Audubon Center.) It's no exaggeration when I say we've probably been there about 40 times since he was born. He loves it there. I love it there. So we go there. A lot.

Whenever we go, we must cross a small footbridge in order to get to the hiking trails. Anytime we cross any footbridge (anywhere) we always say, "Tromp! Tromp! Tromp! Who's that tromping on my bridge?!" which is a reference to the Three Billy Goats Gruff. (If you haven't read that classic children's story either, you might as well go back to bed and just start life over.) Today, as he approached the bridge he said, "Mama! Today Toby be the troll!" (Meaning, he wanted to say "Tromp! Tromp! Tromp!" all by himself.) I said, "Okay, Bud. Today you can be the mean old Troll."

I don't know if I can properly communicate what happened next, and some may think it's petty, but I'm incredibly proud. Toby stopped walking and turned to look at me. The look in his eyes made him seem years older than three. What he said next, completely schooled me. It is a moment I want to remember forever.

"Mama, the troll isn't mean. Him sad. Him can't live in a house and him hungry under his bridge. The troll is sad, Mama, him is not mean."

At three-years-old, my son has a clue about the human condition. He has empathy and insight. The world can be tough, and often people walk around in judgement of others; so nearsighted and intolerant. I hope Toby never loses that part of him that sees beyond the obvious.

My kid is a Hufflepuff and I'm so proud.