Thanksgiving Kindness

Several years ago my mother was in the hospital nearing the end of a courageous battle with cancer.  She would not be coming home again.  The doctor had her on morphine and thankfully she was not in any pain. Except for a few special moments, she did not appear to be aware of our presence.  It was a long and painful week and my brothers and I spent our time sitting by her bedside, holding her hand and making sure she was never alone. It is a vigil no one wants to keep and the sadness ran deep.

Sometimes people in your life become extra special people when their kindness in times of distress gives new meaning to the act of loving and caring for others.  Thanksgiving had arrived that same week and of course we could not give any thought to a holiday much less celebrating with a meal.  We had barely eaten at all during the last several days. On Thanksgiving day, my sister-in-law's parents prepared one of the most beautiful Thanksgiving dinners we have ever had.  It was for all of us, my brothers, my children, my husband and me.  Their house and table were filled with a meal made completely from scratch right down to the apple pies.  A fire was burning bright and warm for us.  Their best silver was shined and polished, candles were lit, and they opened their arms and hearts to us who were grieving deeply. I felt a moment of peace wash over me in their home. Had it not been for them, we would not have eaten that Thanksgiving much less eaten such a beautiful meal complete with love and friendship.

I will always be grateful for their kindness and am happy to say that they remain a special part of our lives.-Linda, NJ

The Red Polish

When I was a little girl of about five years old, I became very aware of how pretty and feminine my mother was.  It bothered me that she was so glamorous looking and I was so plain.  I especially loved her red nail polish.

One day I asked my dad why she was so beautiful and I was not. I think he was shocked that I was so aware of physical appearances at such a young age and even more so that I wanted to be anything more than the little five year old I was.  I can almost recall the sadness on his face as he realized that I didn't think I was pretty.  Without a doubt, he already thought I was beautiful.  He pressed me further and learned that it was the red nail polish and lipstick that I was smitten with. I thought that if I could wear those things I would suddenly be perfectly beautiful just like my mother was. I cried a little bit while we were talking.

Several days later, on a rainy Sunday, my father presented me with a gift.  I was very excited and could hardly stand the suspense.  It wasn't my birthday so I couldn't imagine why I was receiving a gift all wrapped up and tied with a bow.  He smiled at me as I ripped the paper open.  Inside was a red bag, quilted, with a silver zipper.  I opened the zipper and inside were two tubes of lipstick, red and pink, red nail polish, a package of emery boards, and a small bottle of hand lotion.

We opened the red polish and he painted my nails and then carefully applied just a little bit of lipstick for me. I thought I looked just as beautiful as my mother.  It was a special afternoon.  I knew in my young mind that he wanted to make a little wish of mine come true and I realized more than ever before how much he loved me.- Ann, NY

The Ornament

Like many high school relationships, I thought it was forever, that is until I matured a little at twenty.  He and I were not a good match and I had grown up enough to figure that out.  Still, it was painful because I loved his family and would miss them very much.  It was September and I broke up with my boyfriend of three years just before I went back to college.  It was not easy.  At the end of that semester, while home on break, his mother called me just before Christmas to say that her son was not at home and would I please come see her for a little while.  I was happy to go and we hugged and cried.  She said that the last time she saw me walk out their front door, she knew it was over.  It was written across my face, she said.  She had a gift for me, a heartfelt, I will miss you, I loved you as a daughter gift.  Inside a red velvet box was the most beautiful Christmas ornament I had ever seen.  It was a Celtic infinity knot which represents no beginning and no end.  The love she felt for me would always be, she said.  I had been worried that she would be angry that I had hurt her son but she wasn’t and understood that I had to move on.  She said that in time I would think of her less as my life changed, but hoped that with an ornament I would remember each year at Christmastime that she had loved me.  It’s been a long, long time and I smile every year as I reach for the red velvet box with the beautiful ornament and remember the love and kindness that was given to me.-Rachel (OH)

Kindness In Line

I was standing in line at the grocery store poking through the magazines that surrounded me and wishing the line would hurry up. Time was passing by more and more and I realized none of us had moved ahead an inch. "Great," I thought, "someone's probably making a stink to the cashier about the price of grapes," or some ridiculous thing. I checked my phone, texted a few people, checked the time again and I was still standing in the same place. I realized I hadn't been paying attention to anyone or anything around me, so I looked up to the cashier. Beyond the person who was ahead of me was an elderly woman standing at the checkout fishing through her purse frantically.  The woman ahead of me in line got involved in the situation and I listened in to try to figure out what was going on. The elderly woman's eyes were welled up with tears, and she was explaining that she only brought cash with her and didn't have enough money to pay for her groceries. She was searching her purse for all the coins she could find, but it was not enough. She was afraid that the bus that drove her to the store from the elderly housing unit was going to depart without her. The woman in front of me stepped up and kindly tried to comfort the elderly woman. She quickly paid the remaining tab of the groceries without blinking an eye. The elderly woman was  grateful and thanked her, but at the same time I could tell she was a little embarrassed. The kind stranger did nothing but smile and reassure her that she was happy to pay the few dollars.

I watched in awe of the random act of kindness and had to swallow the lump growing in my throat to avoid crying in public. The elderly woman's dilemma was far more important than me trying to rush out of the grocery store. The stranger's kindness contrasted starkly with the busy, impatient setting that surrounded us. I pinched myself for falling into the trap of the everyday rush and forgetting to be kind, patient and helpful.  I'll never forget this random act of kindness and how that sweet stranger did something that changed the world, though not many people will ever know it. -Cass {20 years old, NH}

Lost and Found

I recently shared a story with my nineteen-year old daughter. When I was fourteen, I made a trip to the Cape Cod Mall with my friend and purchased Elton John’s Greatest Hits, a white peasant blouse, and a tube of lip gloss. After shopping, we sat outside of Friendly’s to have an ice cream, leaving behind my purchases as we got up to head home. Upon realizing this, I ran back as fast as I could to retrieve the packages, but I was too late and they had been taken. I was heartbroken, as it was my hard earned paper route money that had bought me those items. Fast forward thirty-five years to Mothers Day. I spotted a simple brown bag on the kitchen table with the words “Lost and Found” written upon it. Inside, wrapped in pink tissue paper, was a CD of Elton John’s Greatest Hits, a beautiful white blouse, and a tube of sparkling lip gloss. Imagine my surprise. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received. I was immensely touched by my daughter’s sweetness. - Gail, MA