reflecting upon others’ kindness

Just had an amazing time with my landlords.  They are the sweetest couple.  They have grandchildren around my age. ;p  They called me up today to say they knew it would be a hard day for me and they wanted to know if I wanted to go for a walk with them.  They went to one of my favorite spots to “hike” – I followed their lead for a while and then realized they weren’t familiar with the area, so I asked if I could show them a path around the pond…I took them through the woods and showed them some of my favorite haunts from my college days…it was a gorgeous day and a good day for walking and visiting.

When they called to invite me I was thinking I really didn’t want to go but I love walks in general and wanted to give them a chance to get to know me, as well…and I knew they were reaching out to me out of love and kindness and that meant a lot.

I can be introverted but once someone convinces me to “come out” I have a blast.  Today was no exception.  It was so nice to get some sun (I put sunblock on, Anna! ;) and see some of the creatures and beauty God has created and share with them bits and pieces of my story.

I think it’ll be fun getting to know them.

Sometimes I feel like with certain types of more refined people, I am an elephant stampeding through their world…even in the ways I communicate or see and live life…but they are great.  :)  I showed up, pony tale with hair that I hadn’t done – just rolled out of bed, so a very loose look, no makeup, black sweat pants and a black tee shirt (that read “National Sarcasm Society: Like we need your support” and both of them were in church clothes – she was wearing a heavy blue jacket suit with matching pearls…and he was in dress pants and a tee shirt ,and so after walking more than an hour in the hot, blazing sun (over 80 degrees today), I’m sweating and they must have been sweating but looked picture-ready.  Hah.

So when she had left a message saying she knew today would be hard and they wanted to know if I wanted to “fellowship” with them, I thought “Oh my.  I don’t know if I want to talk to ostensibly strangers about Dad…I really just want to stay at home and unpack and rest and watch a movie and maybe write about Dad…but I don’t know if I want to do this” but I like walks and like I mentioned, wanted to give them an opportunity to know me better.  (This isn’t a typical landlord situation – they rented their upstairs flat to me for half price because of the kind of work I do, so they are giving me a huge deal and are being a huge blessing to me because they believe in the kind of work I am doing and since I work for a non-profit, I don’t make much.)  Anyway.  I am a story-teller cast in the fashion of both of my parents and so they asked me stories about my life and my father and my grandmother’s memorial and it was just lovely to share with them stories and memories of dad and offer a bit of my life to them.

Too few people ask about my father.  And sometimes when I bring him up, I can just tell people are uncomfortable, unsure of how to respond or what to say and so I often don’t bring him up.  To complicate that, many others’ did not have as great of a father, and so if I share favorite memories of him, I feel bad because I know, consciously or subconsciously they are comparing their father to mine…and I don’t want them to feel sad or do that.  My spiritual director said I’m being ridiculous (she said it much more graciously than that, hah) and that I should give glory and honor to God for having had a great dad…and that I should not feel guilty for sharing the wonderful things about him to others – that it helps paint a more clear picture of what God intended fathers to be…and it takes away from God’s glory and honor if I somehow temper that or feel apologetic about it.  She has a point.  I’m just sensitive to where people are at.  And so sometimes I don’t talk about Dad for that reason.

So when I do get to talk about him, it’s great.

So I am thankful for this elderly couple who reached out to me today when they barely know me and took a chance to ask me if I wanted to spend time with them.  It was a blessing and a gift.

I had mentioned to them last week I was going to my grandmother’s memorial service and they on the spot prayed for me.  They love Jesus and so it is just incredible to be cared for by them.  I spend so much time caring for other people because of my vocation (which I LOVE) but to be on the receiving end…to be in need and be ministered to by someone else…it’s a gift I didn’t expect to receive by moving into this home.

I am blessed. :)