Hello and Happiest of Valentine's Days to you and all of yours!
As many of you know, I'm not someone who lives in the here and now. I (unfortunately) worry quite a bit, rather than just waiting to see how things will play out. Life experiences have taught me that there is no need for acting this way. Things have turned out very well, and certainly as they should. But even though I'm a Christian, and I really do believe that my future is in God's hands, I tend to be that person who wants to dictate the who's, what's, where's and why's of my life. What can I say? I'm a work in progress, I guess.
So it was funny. I ran into the grocery store earlier today, just to grab an item I'd forgotten for tonight's v day meal. There, in the bakery area, were containers upon containers of green shamrock cookies. (Double take) (Hold the phone) (What day is it again???) Isn't it Valentine's Day? Shouldn't we be choosing from pink and red and white heart-shaped offerings, rather than shamrocks? Aren't we more than a month ahead of the game?
It made me stop and think. In the society that we live in, no wonder we think so far into the future. Why, today is the holiday, and we're already being tempted by the next one - which is more than a month off. Let's face it - the retailers trump Halloween and Thanksgiving with all of the Christmas trimmings. Sometimes before Labor Day we can begin choosing our ornaments and garlands for the upcoming season.
Nothing about the material world we live in suggests that we live in any sort of here or right now. Some people find comfort in this. They enjoy being able to get all of their ducks into rows, nice and early, and prepare prepare prepare. For others, it puts actual stress into lives. Sort of an OH MAN! Christmas is right around the corner already??? And it isn't - not really - but that's what it FEELS like because that's all that we see, hear, and take in, for a quarter of a year.
So as I drove home, thinking about all of this, I stopped and grabbed my mail from my mailbox. To my great surprise, there were two (what you just KNOW are) cards. Not bills - nothing that needed a payment of any kind, but yes, actual cards. Like in colored envelopes, with your name handwritten in ink and everything. I couldn't wait to get upstairs, unload my errand-running treasures, and delve into my two (count 'em TWO) cards. I felt like Snoopy when he puts his nose in the air and does his little dance of joy...
The first one was from a friend that I've known since I was 14 (37 years). We don't see each other very often - maybe once or twice a year - but every so often if we see something fitting, we send each other a silly or sassy card - and I was the lucky beneficiary this time. Of course the card depicted two aging females, who were spouting off a joke with a double entendre - and of course it made me smile and shake my head. The second card was more serious, heartfelt, from a woman I've known for just a couple of years. But there are just some people in this world that you 'click' with - and she is (so definitely) one. Friendship - whether long-term or newly-formed - how wonderful it can be!
I couldn't have predicted how nice getting those two cards would make me feel. It was impromptu. For me, it was unplanned. But knowing that someone thought of me and took the time to say "Hello," well, it felt priceless. And if either of you are reading this, thank you so much!!! You made my day.
So whether we begin celebrating events and holidays months in advance, or whether we begin worrying about things that ever may or may not happen, or whether we don't give a care in the world about any of those things and leave everything up to God - I think we'd all agree that some of life's greatest treasures are those unpredictable friends who surface at just the right moments.
That said, I am feeling blessed to BE a blessing... Next time, it's my turn :) Have a great day!
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