Holiday Spirit

It's taken me about a week to write this post, simply because I had to come up with the right words.

Last Saturday my door bell rang, a woman about my size with long wavy brown slightly graying hair stood at my doorstep. She had a snowman print gift bag with red tissue coming out the top. I thought, "oh she's got the wrong house.." I learned her name was Susan, and she knew she was a stranger but she just had to thank me. I was puzzled at this point because... thank me? For what? Susan wanted to thank me for the joy the front garden gave her, how happy she was every time she walked by. Our conversation was brief, she said it was all explained in a letter inside her gift bag. I hugged her, wished her Merry Christmas and went inside.

I'll include the letter in it's entirety behind this cut, since it's about a full typed page and I don't want it to take up my whole blog page.




Dear Special Person,


You don’t know me, but you have touched my life in some special way and you have made a difference in my life sometime during this past year. Throughout the year, with a heart full of gratitude, I have remembered you with an appreciation worth and deserving to be noticed and shared with you.


My husband has a severe traumatic brain injury from a motorcycle accident on October 18, 2008, and we have had a life changing journey of the last two years. Our lives are now comparatively hideously unrecognizable as they were and understandably uncommon to most. Some days it’s challenging enough just to face another day. I’ve been blessed to be comforted and cheered by friends and family and sometimes strangers along the way. You are one of those strangers. I’ve been comforted to tears of joy just for your goodness and by having gratitude for the simple ways your life has touched mine.


You may have been the smiling, waving crosswalk guard I drove by every morning with a heavy heart on my way to be with my husband in the nursing home. Every day you were cheerful in rain, bitter cold, and snow. You reminded me to smile even when there didn’t seem to be anything or nay reason to smile.


You may have been the friendly, caring pharmacist who comforted me with kindness and compassion, recognizing my beginning caregiver days as I looked overwhelmingly tired and disheveled after moving to Cheney for Steven’s first homecoming. Your welcome was warm and friendly when I felt like a stranger in a new community.


You may have been the gardner of a creative and beautifully landscaped yard garden I admired as I waled or rode my bicycle past on early summer mornings. The life of your garden was inspiring and breathed new life in me on the days I felt dead inside.


You may have been the scheduler at St. Luke’s outpatient therapy who patiently waited while I silent cried through a meltdown moment of reality fully realizing the condition of our lives. Your grace allowed me to be human in one of it’s rawest moments.


You may have been the neighbor down the road who shared a wagon cart loaded with “Free Glads” to anyone passing by, offering loving sympathy on the day my beloved Grandmother died. You also have encouraged me many times by the yoke hanging on your living room wall that reminds me, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28


You may be the homeowner who delights me every morning on my way to work with your beautiful nostalgic looking country home with a Christmas tree shinning of white lights and a candle light on in every window illuminating the darkness, likened to a Norman Rockwell winter scene.


At random times throughout the year, and always just when I needed it most, you have been the first happy person of positive thought of my day giving me a reason to smile and be grateful for whatever is good in my life. Thank you for making a difference and for being a positive part of my journey.... and you didn’t even know it! ☺


Blessings to you,




Susan Stefanini
❤


I am the gardner, and I had no clue my wild jungle of a front yard could give anyone as much joy as me. The flowery insanity of it all. Included with this letter was some candies, mostly chocolates and some hot cocoa mix. I would have been happy with just the letter. It's hard to put into words the gratitude I felt at reading this, the courage it took to go up to a complete stranger and give out this note. I've sat on it for a week and I still don't know what to say. If I can locate her, I'll give her permission to walk the spiral path anytime she wants. I wish I would have hugged her longer.