Food for thought

the day my father had his heart attack
a friend offered, no, insisted,
that she bring a meal for our family.

Did she realize that my dad was doing alright?  That we were a house full of able bodied adults and that my sweetheart does the lion's share of cooking anyway?  Did she realize that everything was well enough that I was still tending my neighbor's 3 boys while she was on her honeymoon?  Or that I was planning on keeping the visiting teaching appointments I'd scheduled the week before?  Surely if she knew these things she would feel differently.

I felt self conscious.
Embarrassed.

It was while I was expressing these feelings to another friend of mine that she said,


"The quickest way to make a friend is to ask someone to do something for you."  

She's right you know.

Like yesterday, my sister-in-law asked me
to pick up my nephew from pre-school 

and it made me feel like a million bucks.
I loved her for asking.
for trusting me.
for needing me.

_________________

It did my aching heart good to be seated around the table with my family that night.  The warm meal brought some much needed normalcy to an extraordinarily stressful time.  A big plate of delicious food with a generous side of kindness.

My gratitude draws me closer to my friend and who knows but her service draws her heart closer to me.

The quickest way to make a friend.