Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
If you’ve been following along, you know that I have asked all of you to “Share your Measure of Love.” I will be sharing some of the responses this week from JOLT’ers just like you who decided to take something painful and turn it into an opportunity to share some love. It is a simple challenge really. Instead of feeling lonely for someone at the holidays who is no longer with you, take their “measure of love” and pass it along to someone who needs it.
Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories with me….we still have four days left in 2011, so if you have others, just send me an email so I can pass your good news along.
Here’s Libby’s story….
Hi Kelly,
I did do a “measure of love” this year in memory of my mom–she always got a chocolate orange at Christmas in her stocking, which she opened and shared with all of us. We all excitedly waited for our “share” of her gift and I still remember her taking that opportunity to teach us about sharing. One Christmas, I asked why she was the only one who got a chocolate orange–this would have been in the mid sixties when chocolate oranges were only available at Christmastime and very expensive. I believe the only place I saw them for sale was at the old Grand Falls Drug Store on High Street (at that time run by the Winslow family). My dad explained to us that she got it because she was very special and that she did so much for us every day!! without any concern about what she received herself.
That is why it has always been important to me to have chocolate oranges in my home at Christmas. The only “rule” about giving and receiving chocolate oranges has been that they have to be shared. This year, I bought 24 chocolate oranges to give away to people I knew and also to people I didn’t know. I still have three in the van, but I am sure I will find someone today who needs one. I gave some away at work especially to coworkers who needed a lift as they have had a hard year for various reasons (some have had to deal with cancer in their loved ones) , some to elderly and not so elderly patients (with various problems, including dementia and cancer) and families in the ER, some of whom left the hospital in tears after visiting their family member on Christmas Day. I followed one family into the parking lot, knocked on their car window and explained what I was doing and why as I passed her the orange to share with her family, the lady got out of the car with tears in her eyes and gave me a big hug and called me “A Christmas Angel.”
I also sent one home with a staff member for a “grouchy father-in-law” who I thought needed some loving, as apparently he is very hard to deal with. This was a great idea, Kelly and is a new tradition for me!! It gave me great joy to see the gratitude in the eyes of those who received the unexpected gift. Thank you so much for suggesting it. If you were closer, you would be getting a chocolate orange!!! Libby
See the beautiful ripple effect the life of Libby’s mom continues to have? Thanks Libby for sharing your story.
Check back tomorrow for some more examples of how JOLT’ers are sharing a measure of love with those who need it!
Love you more than all the leaves on all the trees,
Kelly
