A Moment That Made Me Pause – Are We Missing the Signs?

Yesterday, I had an experience that left me unsettled and reflective, and I feel compelled to share it. While doing my grocery shopping at a local supermarket, I noticed a small girl, perhaps 6 to 8 years old, with long black hair and a pretty summer dress, darting through the aisles. What caught my attention wasn’t her bright energy but her actions: she was unwrapping a chocolate bar, tasting a corner, then tossing it and the wrapper onto the floor before disappearing around the corner.

As I continued shopping, I noticed more unwrapped chocolate bars scattered across the floor in the candy aisle and even the next aisle over. Something didn’t feel right. I alerted a store employee, who asked me to help identify the girl. We spotted her in the distance, her small hands clutching an assortment of groceries as she headed toward the cashier. Barefoot and underdressed for the chilly 17°C weather, she was alone—no parent or guardian in sight.

The staff gently intervened, and I suggested they call the police to ensure the girl’s safety and get to the root of the situation. They took her to the office, and I later learned the police were on their way, as were her parents to pick her up. As a parent of two grown children, my heart sank. Was this little girl hungry? Was she acting out to get attention? Or was something deeper going on?

This moment made me pause and reflect: How many children are struggling in plain sight, and we simply don’t notice? How often do we walk past signs of distress, dismissing them as someone else’s problem? Whether this girl was driven by hunger, neglect, or a cry for help, her actions were a signal that something wasn’t right.

As professionals, parents, and members of our communities, we have a responsibility to stay attuned—not just to our work or personal lives but to the world around us. This experience reminded me that small moments can reveal larger truths. It’s a call to be more observant, more compassionate, and more willing to act when something feels off.

I don’t have all the answers, but I’m left with questions: How can we better support vulnerable children in our communities? What systems or actions can we put in place to ensure no child feels the need to steal a chocolate bar to satisfy a deeper need? And most importantly, how can we open our eyes to the signs we might be missing every day?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you witnessed something that made you stop and reflect? What can we do, as individuals and as a society, to ensure children like this little girl are seen, heard, and helped?