What is thoughtfulness? Are you a thoughtful person? Do others do thoughtful things for you? Is it important to be thoughtful?
Yesterday I was touched by someone's thoughtfulness. I do not know this person. She only knows of me and my brood through a dear neighbor back at my home place. This particular neighbor, Maria is just a sweetheart: kind to the children, always thinking of us when she has anything to pass on... Her husband, Pasquale, is the same way. He made the children three beautiful stools out of oak last year that they use all the time- for playing, climbing on, sitting, on, etc...
Maria is one of many children-I think twelve or thirteen( you stop counting after a certain point, right?) Two of her sisters came to visit from New Mexico a couple of weeks ago. I have never met them. Maria told them all about us, and they went out of their way to make goodies (fully decorated cupcakes) for the children. Unfortunately, because of the flu, we missed the cupcakes and our visit with Maria and her sisters. However, Maria passed on a treasure that one of her sisters packed for us in her suitcase. My mother delivered it yesterday: two huge bags pencils.
These are not just ordinary pencils. You see, awhile back Maria told her sister, Anita, about this large homeschooling family in VA (us!) Every day when Anita walks, she passes by a school yard. Over the months she has found practically brand new pencils and pens scattered about. Anita took it upon herself to collect these pens and pencils every day, thinking of us! She amassed two large bags of them! We are grateful to have them , and are so touched by Anita's thoughtfulness. After she took so long to save them, she brought the heavy bags in her suitcase, all the way from New Mexico.
Yesterday I was touched by someone's thoughtfulness. I do not know this person. She only knows of me and my brood through a dear neighbor back at my home place. This particular neighbor, Maria is just a sweetheart: kind to the children, always thinking of us when she has anything to pass on... Her husband, Pasquale, is the same way. He made the children three beautiful stools out of oak last year that they use all the time- for playing, climbing on, sitting, on, etc...
Maria is one of many children-I think twelve or thirteen( you stop counting after a certain point, right?) Two of her sisters came to visit from New Mexico a couple of weeks ago. I have never met them. Maria told them all about us, and they went out of their way to make goodies (fully decorated cupcakes) for the children. Unfortunately, because of the flu, we missed the cupcakes and our visit with Maria and her sisters. However, Maria passed on a treasure that one of her sisters packed for us in her suitcase. My mother delivered it yesterday: two huge bags pencils.
These are not just ordinary pencils. You see, awhile back Maria told her sister, Anita, about this large homeschooling family in VA (us!) Every day when Anita walks, she passes by a school yard. Over the months she has found practically brand new pencils and pens scattered about. Anita took it upon herself to collect these pens and pencils every day, thinking of us! She amassed two large bags of them! We are grateful to have them , and are so touched by Anita's thoughtfulness. After she took so long to save them, she brought the heavy bags in her suitcase, all the way from New Mexico.
Thoughtfulness doesn't have to be expensive.
I am reminded of something I read by Coleridge::
" The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions; the little soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look, a heart-felt compliment, and the countless infintessimals of pleasurable thought and genial feeling."
" The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions; the little soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or a smile, a kind look, a heart-felt compliment, and the countless infintessimals of pleasurable thought and genial feeling."
I am going to make a point of being a little more thoughtful every day!
