Sometimes, It's the Little Things

Life has been busy, busy, busy lately and I haven't been very good about staying on top of things.  Plus there's crud going around our house - Brent's hacking like he did when he returned from Haiti this last time and Nathan's nose bubbles a lovely shade of green.

Sometimes you have to remember what's important.  People, feelings, gratitude.  These are important.  Things - not so much.  Sometimes you have to slow down and remember.

My mom sent me an email she received from her cousin, Sherry.  Sherry's mom is my great aunt Lola.  I remember hearing my grandmother talk about them so very many times.  In my head, the name "Wes" is automatically followed by "Lola" because that's how grandma always referred to her brother and his wife.  

I don't remember the last time I saw Sherry, or her parents.  I know Sherry and her dad came to my grandmother's funeral.  

So, needless to say, I was surprised to see this email from Sherry:

"I have to share something with you. I write to my mom and when I do, I also enclose notes and comments I've received from others. This has included e-mails and notes from telephone conversations. I also forwarded all of the newsletters that I received at Christmas. Mom has enjoyed them all!

In a recent letter, I hope you and Lori don't mind, but I copied out her wonderful "El Camino" story and sent it with my letter. I had sent her your Christmas letter and so she knows what Nathan looks like. I also kept her appraised during the earthquake crisis and all that your daughter and her husband were going through.

From what I've heard, she cried when she read the letter and really, really enjoyed the story. She has shown it to EVERYONE who has visited. We have a lady named Coco who we've hired to check on mom several times each week. She also is there when mom's physical therapist is there so she can be mom's voice. She has also helped transport mom to a couple of doctor's appts. when no one in the family could make it. Well, Mom was trying to tell her something and she couldn't get it out; so finally she wrote out the word "Haiti". Then she got the letter out so Coco could read the story again. She asks everyone to read it out loud so she can also hear it again! You have to understand in addition to being aphasic, mom also cannot write. This is something we have been working with her on as well as her speech.

So--please let Lori know how far reaching her story has gone! We now all "know" just how much she loves El Caminos!  :o)"

My mom included these words with her forwarded note:

"I cannot begin to tell you what this means to me, to know that her mom cares about Nathan.  Especially to have her write “Haiti” when they have struggled to get her to write much of anything since her stroke.

Our little man has endless potential for doing good!"

Thank you, Great Aunt Lola, for the reminder that it's the little things that matter.  It's the way we touch each other's lives that matter more than most other things we encounter in this world.  And thanks for the reminder that we ALL have an endless potential for doing good!