The best-made plans
Sunday April 10th 2011, 9:49 pm
Filed under: Amaryllis,Friends,Life

My friend Jennifer taught a lesson in church today and in preparing for it, she typed out her remarks and references, then later handed a copy to each hearing-impaired person so they could follow along and not be left out. Giving context for the parts not quite heard. It’s a wonderful, thoughtful thing to do.

And so before she started she handed me a copy as people were coming into the room.

A woman came in and sat down next to me a moment, someone who’s new.  She looked at me wistfully and told me how badly she wanted to hear what Jennifer had to say, but that her daughter had (I didn’t hear what exactly) going on and she was going to have to leave. She was clearly disappointed, while wanting to do the right thing and support her daughter.

“For charity is the pure love of Christ.” Much more than giving of money or clothes but actually feeling and acting upon that which is best and most divine in us. Loving one another with all that we are. A lesson to be energized by, for sure.

The woman is someone I recently knit for, and she also just wanted to spend a moment with me before she had to leave.

It was very clear what I could do to make her feel better in that moment: I handed her those lesson plans and explained how I came to have them. Her face lit up, she thanked me, and then she was gone.

A few moments later, now that all were settled in, Jennifer stood up again and started–and from across the room looked over at me and seemed confused a moment (I thought, or maybe she was beginning to wonder if, somehow, maybe…?) at my empty lap. No papers in my hand either.

She interrupted herself to say she didn’t know why, but she’d printed out an extra copy of those lesson sheets. By chance was there anyone here who might need them?

And I got blessed, not just with her original thoughtfulness and effort, but with the chance to tell her what she’d done when she didn’t know why she was doing it.


7 Comments so far
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I love circles! Your friend thoughtfully gifted you with a copy of her lessons so you wouldn’t feel left out. You gifted your new friend for the same reason, and in so doing gifted the originator with the knowledge that listening to her heart and making that extra copy had been the right thing. Sigh!:-)
Made my day!

Carol in MA

Comment by Carol Telsey 04.11.11 @ 6:18 am

That is the way it works.

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 04.11.11 @ 7:26 am

sweet, so sweet

evidence that the more we give away with love, the more we have

Comment by Bev 04.11.11 @ 8:36 am

Marvelous story! That’s similar to what I do at Avenidas on Monday morning Hope Group. I am now part of the procedure as the leader asks me if I have a joke to tell. I do. There is one 90 year old fellow whom I know is quite hard of hearing,so I print out a copy for him which he may keep. Even at his age he is still pretty sharp, and I love to hear his roar of laughter!

Comment by Don Meyer 04.11.11 @ 9:04 am

No coincidences. Blessings to you and Jennifer!

Comment by Channon 04.11.11 @ 9:50 am

Ah, I’ve been away from the blogs too long (darned business travel). This is exactly the right first post to read upon finding some time (not home yet, but only one more flight…). You have centered me and cheered me with this, making me feel most of the way home already.

Comment by twinsetellen 04.13.11 @ 1:15 pm

if it’s not too much to ask, may I please have a copy of that hand out also? I would love to read more of what it says.
Thank you Alison.

Comment by karin maag-tanchak 04.15.11 @ 5:35 pm



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