"May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love." ~
L. O Baird
One little bruised raspberry.
Perhaps you've heard this extraordinary example of a simple gift wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love:
"Ilse, a childhood friend of mine, once found a raspberry in the concentration camp and
carried it in her pocket all day to present to me that night on a leaf. Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you give it to your friend,” Gerda Weissmann Klein wrote in her memoir.
I'm seeing in our 55+ community, where many residents are well over 55, many opportunities to show caring in simple ways.
None of the needs, hurts, fears, and losses compare with what Gerda and Ilse experienced in
the concentration camp, but why compare?
Comparison often keeps us from such acts. We think the need is too little or what we have to give is too small.
When we moved here, one neighbor welcomed us with packages of paper towels and toilet tissue, wrapped in thoughtfulness and the spirit of friendship. "I don't bake," she said. "But there's always a need for these things."
Everywhere, everyday there are
opportunities for each of us to give and to receive.
With love,
Charlene
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