Although I鈥檝e always been an outgoing person, during this past year I鈥檝e gone out of my way to encourage everyone I meet. Mask wearing has made the adventure even more interesting since I鈥檓 never quite sure who I鈥檓 talking to.
Just yesterday I met a gentleman and, I assumed, his mother who was walking beside him, using canes. 鈥淕ood morning,鈥� I said, and then gave them a big smile. They were obviously surprised and asked if they knew me. 鈥淣o, I responded, 鈥淚 figure that everyone needs a smile these days.鈥� Thrilled at their response and their reassurance that they would pass along the greeting to someone else, I was thoroughly gratified. It鈥檚 wonderfully surprising what a bit of kindness can do.
If you鈥檝e read my articles for even a few weeks, you know that my morning routine includes negotiating my way through our local Tim Hortons drive-through to pick up my morning cup of tea (and, I admit, the occasional cookie). Not only do I thoroughly enjoy my tea, I never tire of seeing the special messages written on the cup lid. Sometimes it just says 鈥�3 milk鈥� while other times there鈥檚 a heart drawn and at other times my name appears beside the heart. Now do you wonder why the tea tastes so good?
Without going into details, my husband鈥檚 health is deteriorating and it鈥檚 part of my own therapy to go for my regular walk, pick up my tea and then sit down by the ocean to enjoy them and it. Taking care of oneself is essential to caring for others.
The Apostle Paul, imprisoned during the writing of his epistles, exhorted us to cast our cares upon Him and to give thanks in all things. During this time of COVID isolation, above all, let鈥檚 be sure to maintain our own spiritual health.
