The Kindness and Goodness of Friends

I have to admit, the last few months have been tough ones for us. It just goes to prove you never know what's waiting for you around the bend. Instead of riding out for our yearly trip to see Amma, we rode in an ambulance in the wee hours of the morning to an Emergency Room. Instead of going to the county fairs and looking at the chickens and cows, we sat in a hospital. My poor husband Bill had to go thru surgery and a long, ongoing recovery period. And on top of it all, we learned that our friend and neighbor's son was in a horrible motorcycle accident, with a life ending head injury, and we waited with her until he finally slipped away... Definitely not the kind of events you look forward to when you think of things to do in the Summer... While sitting at the hospital, i noticed all the folks who were bedridden and recovering who had no visitors at all, day in and day out, and i started to think about how lonely this world can be for some people... Doesn't anybody care??? And then one day last week a package arrived with my name on it! It was sent by my blogging friend Alex, the lovely creative soul behind the blog Lola Nova. I opened that box up and i could actually feel the love come pouring out of that box with the wonderful scents of the gifts wrapped inside... Here is a look inside the box! It was a celebration of color and creativity inside that little square space! It totally brightened up my day (week...month...who knows?) in a way i cannot even describe! Look at the color! How can you stay tired and gloomy looking at that?

On top of the box was a handmade card from Alex, with a message in it that really warmed my heart. (I think this was one of my most favorite parts of the gift Alex)

There was a beautiful handmade therapeutic neck pillow that she made. Pop it in the microwave and put it on anyplace that needed warmth and comfort... I LOVE the colors and fabrics she chose...

Even her stickers are sweet as pie!

There was a hand sewn handbag for Lola, and bars of yummy chocolate inside for me and Bill

and a handmade mug, some herbal tea and tea infuser, a candle with a sweet little owl dish to hold it, a bar of wonderful perfumed soap, some homemade jam made with fruit from her garden, and a beautiful journal that is so pretty i am going to have to force myself to write in it! All little reminders to take time to take care of myself too. This was amazing! Alex and i have never met outside of sending each other comments and notes...and yet, the feeling i got when i opened that box... We are all connected, no matter what form that connection takes. I felt totally rejuvenated, and so reassured that the world is full of good and loving people. And i am so fortunate to have so many of them in my life. Thank you Alex. I hope it is alright i posted this. I wanted to share it with ALL my friends out there. And it makes me want to pay it forward....(PS- I LOVE that Jam!)