What Happens When You Lead With Your Heart

I took this photo just a few days ago, and it took my breath away.

Dorian is 13 now. Taller than me. Moving faster than I can keep up with. More independent, more confident, more sure of himself. And yet, when I looked at this picture, I felt it instantly — my baby boy is still there. The softness in his face. The way he curled into a pile of stuffed animals without hesitation. The quiet reminder that time moves quickly, but it doesn’t erase who our kids are at their core.

As parents, we’re always holding two versions of our children at once — who they were, and who they’re becoming. Sometimes those versions feel far apart. Sometimes, like in this moment, they sit right on top of each other and stop you in your tracks.

Thirteen is an age that comes with a lot of stereotypes. But standing here, watching Dorian lead with empathy and invite others in, I’m reminded how incomplete those stories are. When teenagers are trusted with real responsibility — when they’re invited to do something that actually matters — they often rise in ways that surprise us.

Dorian’s heart has always been close to the surface. What’s changed over the years isn’t that heart — it’s how willing he is to share it. As he’s grown, he hasn’t learned to hide it or toughen it up. He’s learned how to invite others into it.

That’s what this work is really about.

A few weeks ago, we met Lily during a classroom visit. It was one of those moments that feels meaningful but simple at the time — a room full of second graders, a story shared, a conversation about kindness and leadership. A few days later, her class sent handwritten notes. The kind you don’t skim. The kind you save, because one day you’ll need the reminder.

But Lily didn’t stop there. She showed up with two full bags of stuffed animals for our Teddy Bear Drive. Then she told her mom, “This is so much fun.” Now she wants to help every month.

That sentence stays with me.

Because when kids are invited in — truly invited — giving doesn’t feel heavy. Leadership doesn’t feel intimidating. It feels exciting. It feels possible. It feels like something they can own.

Lily is just one example, but she represents something bigger that I’m seeing again and again. When kids are trusted with purpose, they rise to it. When they’re shown that their actions matter, they want to do more. Kindness becomes contagious, not because it’s required, but because it feels good.

As a parent, watching this unfold is emotional. You realize that the world is starting to meet your child where they are. As a community leader, it’s humbling. It reminds you how much potential is waiting right in front of us when we make space for young voices.

Dorian doesn’t inspire people because he’s perfect or polished. He inspires them because he leads with his heart — the same heart I see in this photo. The same heart that invites other kids to say, “Me too. I want to help.”

This is how movements actually grow. Not through big speeches or grand plans, but kid by kid. Classroom by classroom. Moment by moment.

If this story resonated with you — as a parent, educator, or community member — I’d love to hear what you’re noticing in the kids around you.Sometimes all it takes is an invitation.