For years, since Covid isolation, he had fallen into a trap. News on the radio, politics on YouTube. He realized he wasn’t getting answers, he was getting more questions. So he decided to go in search of those answers. The biggest question was why things were so crazy in the world. Why people treated each other the way they did. Violence, war, division in society. The big question he had was where to find the answers.
He decided to take a walk. As it happened he ran into a friend out walking with his two children, Emily and Joshua. He hailed them as soon as he saw them and they all decided to sit on a bench. Joshua was the first to speak, he was a delightful five-year-old and his sister was just a year older.
“Hi uncle!” (they called the man uncle). “How are you today?”
“Well Joshua, I have to say I’m a little sad today.”
“Why are you sad, uncle?” Emily chimed in.
“Well,” he said, “it might be hard to explain. But I’ll try. When I look around I see people not being so nice to each other, and that makes me sad and I don’t know what I can do.”
“I know”, said Joshua, “You can make friends!”
“Well, yes, I suppose,” the man replied. “Sometimes that’s hard to do.”
“It’s not hard!” said Joshua, with emphasis, “Ask Emily! Emily knows how to make friends!”
“Emily, how do you make friends?” the man asked her.
“Well,” she paused. “The best way I know is cookies!”
“Cookies,” Joshua cried out in agreement. “Cookies!”
“What do you mean ‘cookies’?” The man asked.
Emily continued, “Well, in school sometimes I see someone that seems sad and my mom always packs a cookie with lunch, so if I give them a cookie they can be happy.”
“Well, that sounds good,” the man said. “But what if you don’t have a cookie?”
“You can make them!” cried Joshua, “They aren’t hard, we make ‘em at home.”
“So you guys think if people give people cookies then the world would be a better place,” the man asked.
“It can’t hurt,” said Emily.
“Yeah it cant hurt,” Joshua said.
“Well,” the man asked, “what are your favorite cookies?”
“Peanut butter corn flakes,” cried Joshua,
“Yes,” Emily agreed. “But chocolate chip too.”
“Well, you guys make a good case. I’m really glad I ran into you today,” the man said. “I have to get home, but maybe next time I see you I’ll have some cookies!”
“That would be great uncle,” said Joshua.
“And maybe we’ll have some too,” said Emily.
“Well, see you then.”
They all hugged before the man left, and everyone carried a smile.
When he returned home he still had the smile and he sat at his desk pondering the wisdom off the children. Looking around, wondering what to do next, he noticed something in his cupboard which gave him an idea — a bag of chocolate chips — and in his mind he repeated the refrain of the kids: “Cookies.”
He realized that there were answers, just go ask the children.
Joe Keenan lives in West Tisbury.
This article appears in February 13, 2026.