.
A friend wanted to offer support to a couple having what she called a polar vortex. They were spiralling out of balance. She asked me for ideas and I generated a few. One was to write prayers for them, and she
took it and ran. What she delivered was 42 envelopes with ways to reconnect, along with a prayer. Compounded with my prayers for both her and the recipient, those modest envelopes packed a punch.
It is
fun to speculate what she wrote. She knows well the limitations of small children and finances, so I expect they were ones that could happen close to home.
Although she never named the receiver, I have a
guess. They have been in my heart for some time now, and their faces slip into my idle moments. I picture them dancing, laughing, forgiving. It feels like a small foothold for two people who have lost their way.
On Christmas morning our last fertile eggshell cracked open. A snowy white chick announced her presence with a tattoo of chirping. She is adorable. We named her Star.
When Star was a scant twenty four
hours old I was making blueberry muffins for breakfast, and her chirps tripled in intensity. I went to look. She had landed in the dish of water and was frightened. Her mother did not seem to know how to lift her out. I cupped her in my hand and held her close. She calmed down a step but she was soaked. I carried her to the twins who snuggled her in bed until she fluffed dry. Then I brought her back to her mama, who nuzzled her all over and tucked her into the down of her breast.
It is precious honor to be the one to offer help to another.
As Mother Teresa says, you need not do great things, only small things with great love.
