Sister Peggy remembers only once when Mother was upset with her; when her cocker spaniel dog, Skippy jumped up on her and tore Peggy’s new coat. In those days, the hard-working farm family often had tight finances. Mom stretched our budget by canning and freezing the summer’s garden to stretch our winter meals. Mom sewed many of our clothes because she was an excellent seamstress. However, we bought our coats so the loss of Peggy’s new coat was no small concern. Even in this situation, Peggy remembers that Mom quickly got over being upset and was kind to her daughter even in the midst of the upset.
Sister Dorothy commented that she never saw Mom being unkind to anyone; even if it was a person Mom did not particularly like, Mom was still considerate and kind. These comments show a tribute to a special lady; one that people love and honor years after her death.
What is kindness? My Webster’s New World dictionary calls it the act of being kind (sympathetic, gentle, benevolent)
A quote from Mother Teresa says it like this: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes, (Pleasantville, NY:Reader’s Digest Association, 1997, 78.
More about kindness tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment