Last week, I mentioned that the only mail that had followed me to my new home so far was bulk mail. Magazines. I wondered where my “real” mail was. It turns out that the bills followed soon enough.
Two different couples took the time, however, to send me personally addressed notes. They shared the sentiment that they wanted there to be more in my mailbox than magazines, bills, and junkmail. In this era of email, getting a genuine handwritten note in the US Mail is quite a noteworthy event. (“Noteworthy.” Get it???) And both of those handwritten notes brought a smile to my face. I am so thankful for people whose thoughtfulness at unexpected times can change a whole day.
I always feel faintly guilty when I am the recipient of such undeserved niceness, though. I try to remember the last time that I did something like that for someone else, and, usually, I get stuck. Instead, I work on resolving to be extra-attentive and do something nice for someone in the future. Sometimes it works. For awhile. I try, I really try, but my hopes are often bigger than my reality.
For today, I will set aside the guilt and the false aspirations. I will simply live in this moment and be thankful for the goodness of others. Two different couples on two different days made a difference in my world by writing a letter, sticking a stamp on it, and mailing it to my new home address. God is surely good, and these friends have reminded me of it. Thank you.
