Grateful

In a complete change from the entry yesterday...

I went to the family home of a friend who passed away what has become almost six months ago. It was his daughter's four year old celebration, and she wanted to be with her daddy today.

I arrived, and they welcomed me like family, and made me feel welcomed like family. It was heartwarming to watch the girl play, run around carefree, and at moments stand in front of her dad's memorial and whisper to him. When the cake was cut, she took a little piece, with a strawberry topping, and placed it in front of the memorial.

We sat down after lunch, and the family brought out bags and bags of stuff. "For your mum," they said, and opened the bags, revealing precious supplements and medicine for cancer patients.

"I cannot take this... It's much too much," I said, touched, and almost tearing from the genuinely kind gesture.

"Take it, for your mum," they insisted, "After he passed away, the only way these things can help someone is if we give them away".

I was lost as what to say, embarrassed even at accepting such gifts, even though one of the supplements is something that my mum uses to maintain her physical strength and keep the turmours from growing.

"Take it," they insisted. I looked at the monk from the mountains, and he only smiled back at me. I understood what it meant, for he had once told me that to accept is as precious as giving.
I took the medicine and supplements and quietly put it into the bag, and repeatedly thanked them, again and again, for their kindness.

It's not so much how much the things cost, but the symbolic gesture of giving, and the opportunity and inkling of hope that the products represent that is priceless.