I’m just sitting here hot gluing a project, sipping tea and bawling my eyes out.
After my mom died our friends rallied, and I had meals and visits almost everyday for 2 months. It was the perfect picture of community.
It was tragically beautiful.
Every Christmas my mom would stuff my stocking with my favorite earl grey tea and hot glue sticks (among other things… like dollar store pregnancy tests). My supply would last me until my stocking was stuffed again the following year.
It was one of the many Small Things my mom did, that I miss terribly.
After hearing this, two of my friends (who don’t know each other) gifted me with tea and glue sticks.
What a Small Thing.
A Small Thing that has me weeping like a baby almost a year later.
Sometimes when you do a Small Thing for someone, it’s easy – you’re out shopping, and happen to see something special for a friend, you pick it up, and drop it by their house on the way home from the store. Done.
Sometimes it’s more difficult – you get an idea, and on the way to the store you get lost, while shopping your toddler screams during the whole trip, then he/she falls asleep on the way home which totally ruins the rest of the day. Then you keep forgetting to give the Small Thing to your friend. This ‘thoughtful gift’ ends up becoming a burden. Eventually you get it to her house, and whew… done!
Often I think of things I want to do for other people.
Often schedules and convenience get in the way.
I’m not sure if it was easy or difficult for my friends to get me the tea and glue sticks. But even if getting to the store ruined a routine or ended up being a huge burden, their gifts meant/mean the world to me.
What are some Small Things you can do?
Whatever you are thinking about doing for someone today, might become a sacred memory and have them weeping like a baby next year.
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MaryAnn says
I love this. My mom did the stocking thing, too. I’m pretty sure I may never run out of nail files and post its 🙂
And you’re so right…what are some of the little things that are so worth the effort…may we have the eyes to see them and the willing hearts to do them.