When E.M. showed up to write with me and saw the pile of table napkins that needed folding, she wordlessly set to work on the napkins right away.
When the young woman from whom I was going to buy the pond plants said when I showed up: "I don't want your money, I decided to give it to you for free." (I insisted that she take my five dollars anyway. And I think I hurt her feelings. I must remember that sometimes other people want to feel generous too.)
When my M.I.L. wrote in a card that I was "the sweetest and the fiercest." (I'm particularly proud of the fierceness because there are lots of fights I'll need to show up at.)
When L.B. and M.A. showed up early for bookclub to help me arrange things because I'd been working all day. (I'll forever remember the moment when I splashed some dressing, and LB who wouldn't have cared about it at her place knew it would bother me and got me a scrubber before I could turn around.)
(This one for the laughs it brought.) When I bought some pots at the Farmers Market and texted the young person who sold them about how beautiful they were, and they texted back that I was "more beautiful than the pots." My kids have been saying that I'm "more beautiful than pots" ever since.
Things I feel bad about not doing last week: Saying I'd help with cleaning up the Lansing Riverwalk and then not showing up. Turning down three students who wanted me to write recommendation letters for them--I'm not sure why they asked me since they'd never been in my classes, but still. "No" doesn't come easy.
Pic: A screengrab of Jane Fonda's acceptance speech of the SAG-AFTRA lifetime achievement award. What she says about staying in community and helping the vulnerable really spoke to me. The whole speech is here.
20 comments:
Such a heartwarming list of things! Where would we be without friends? It sounds like you have such a supportive and beautiful (as the pots) group surrounding you. xo
“ you’re more beautiful than pots”!! Lol! I think you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of that story! I love those inside jokes in a family. I’m glad you have a list of good, and uplifting things! My uplifting thing yesterday was watching my youngest singing in church. He looks so much like one of my nephews so I texted my brother and sister-in-law a picture of him and they agreed and also noted that they could tell he did not like the attention of being upfront and center. But he sure looked cute in his white choral robe with a red bow!
It's nice to have reminders of just how important our community is to make us successful human beings!
I like the kids' teasing about the pots. You have a warm, funny family. (I wouldn't write a recommendation for students whose work I didn't know either, unless I knew them well in some extracurricular context that was relevant.)
You ARE more beautiful than pots.
Thank you for the reminder that other people want to be generous and kind, too. Of course they do!
I'm so thankful I found your blog.
Good for you.
Now that's a list to cherish. And I love that you are more beautiful than the pots! Those small gestures of those who both know and love us well and those we encounter who touch us with kindness and gentleness can make or break a day, a life, a spirit. I am so grateful you have been surrounded by that love and care, especially in busy, frantic, challenging times.
You are more beautiful than pots <3 There is something so touching to me about that! (Because pots are homes to beautiful things?) Love all these moments of community and warmth.
What goes around comes around, Maya- you're getting back some of the kindness you've been putting out. It's karma! (Just kidding- I now know the correct meaning of that word.)
I love that Jane Fonda quote- I want to watch the whole speech.
I remember one day thinking I was taking my Grandma and Great Aunt to lunch, as I often did, and they put their feet down and said no, THEY wanted to pay this time. I had a job, and a husband with a job, and they were two women living on Social Security, so it was difficult to let them pay. But I did, because I knew it made them happy. And then the next few times I could say, "No, you paid last time!", which worked because they were in their 90s with terrible memories.
Seriously blessed in that department, Nicole--you included, of course <3
I can imagine Paul looking cherubic with those cheeks! I hope to see the photo in a post soon, Lisa.
Right? Every day, I'm glad I'm not in this alone.
I often think our offspring would get along great for that reason alone in addition to the shared politics and interests, Steph...
(And agree on recs.)
Haha--so you're getting in on the joke too, eh?
Ditto on the last thing, Nance <3
Thanks!
Absolutely, Jeanie. I'm very grateful for the small things that make up the big things... and I'm grateful to have found you!
Suz--I love your deep reading re. pots. I think my kids are just playing it off for laughs, though :)
The speech is so worth watching, Jenny!
Haha re. Karma. What if I'm wrong though?!
I LOVE this story, Jules!
(And I'm sorry if telling it made you miss them... Hugs, hugs, hugs.)
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