Sharing Life

I spent this morning with a good friend ~ drinking mocha ~ watching our children play ~ talking about life and simplicity. I came away inspired.

I've been thinking lately. About life. About mine in particular. About the impact it has on others around me and wondering if it has any at all. A friend of ours often says he wants to know that other people's lives have been changed for the better because they knew him. I do too.

Months ago, on a drizzly afternoon, I happened to be out without either of my children. I was just running to the post office to mail something. As I was making my way through the parking lot, I came across a lady with a young child trying unsuccessfully to get into her car. She was in obvious pain and had tears streaming down her face. I asked her if there was anything I could do to help. I put her bag in the car, strapped the kid into his car seat, supported her as she eased her way into the drivers seat. Obviously concerned about her driving in that condition, I asked if there was someone I could call to come help her. Her response " There is no-one to call. " I was dumb founded. No one ? No one at all ?

I will never forget that statement. It has forever made my heart that little bit softer. I try to live my life with my eyes open ~ so I can see opportunities to be someone to people who have no one, no matter how briefly.

CS Lewis said this " Do not waste time bothering whether you "love" your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him."

I'm reading a great book at the moment. I won't tell you about it today but I will soon ~ probably once I finish it. It's an amazing book. For so many reasons. But one of the reasons is that I know the author. She's who I spent the morning with. At one stage we were talking about dreams. About taking tiny little steps towards them. And so I've been thinking about my dreams ... and about things I've always wanted to do.

Tomorrow I'll share a few of them with you ...