I was making lunch for the family when I saw my 6-year old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. I could only see his back. He wasn't walking with his usual carefree1) air2). He was obviously walking with great effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again toward the house. I went back to make sandwiches, thinking that whatever he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that unusual way toward the woods. This activity went on for an hour. Finally I couldn't take it any longer. I crept3) out of the house and followed him.

　　He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked, being very careful not to spill the water he carried. I sneaked4) close as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He might have a much higher purpose, I thought. As I came closer, I saw the most amazing sight. Several large deer stood in front of him. Billy walked right up to them, at the sight of which I almost screamed for him to get away. A huge buck5) was dangerously close. But the buck did not threaten him nor even move as Billy knelt down. And then I saw a tiny baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from thirst and heat, lift its head with great effort to lap up6) the water in my boy's hands.

　　When the water was gone, Billy jumped up to run back to the house. I followed him back to a spigot7). Billy opened it and a small trickle8) began to creep out. He knelt there, letting the drip slowly fill up his "cup".

　　And now I knew what's going on. The week before, he had made the same trouble with our horses, which caused him a lecture from his father about the importance of not wasting water. That should be the reason he didn't ask me for help. It took almost 20 minutes for the drops to fill his hands. When he stood up and turned back, I was there in front of him. His eyes were filled with tears. "I'm not wasting," was all he said.  This time, I joined him, with a small pot of water from the kitchen. I let him tend to9) the baby deer alone for it was his job while I just stood on the edge of the woods watching. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops...and more drops...and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, himself, was weeping with pride. Some will probably say that this was all just a huge coincidence10). I can't argue with that, nor will I. All I can say is that the rain that came that day saved our farm, just like the actions of one little boy saved another.