Little Things

February 11, 2009

I've discovered a blog that has become very meaningful. Almost exactly 8 years ago, a woman I knew died unexpectedly. She still had a daughter at home, in high school, and then older kids at various stages of life. She was someone I admired tremendously. Her sons were friends with my brothers. Her daughter was my son's violin teacher. I worked with members of her family in volunteer work through our church. Her death was a terrible blow to many people.

Now her children have started publishing her extensive personal writings from letters, speeches, journals and other sources onto a blog called Lessons My Mother Taught Me. Reading it has done so many things for me, from helping me to remember her and think about what I admired about her to helping me to remember to live and to notice and to appreciate everything. She wrote to her children who were away from home about walking to school and seeing mushrooms and leaves falling. She wrote about blue skies and listening to music. She was admirable but not perfect, wonderful but humble-writing with tenderness about her foibles and fears, her worries for her kids, and everything else. She wrote a lot, of course not knowing that she would die so young, and to me it counts as a miracle that she did write and for her family to now have her words every day, to feel her voice and her way of speaking again, to have her wisdom close by.

Today as I was reading I was struck by her attention to all the details in her life. In catching up on blogs over the last couple of days, I've rejoiced at all the little things my friends have recorded and written about. God really is in the details I think. I do write letters every week to my son, and reading this friend's letters to her kids has inspired me to write even more than I already do. It makes me happy to think that my words could be a comfort to my kids someday, even if I were gone too soon.

8 comments

  1. Thanks, Kel. I found the blog - it will be inspirational to read, bless their dear hearts.

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  2. Wonderful... thank you for passing on the reminder to be grateful for the details. I try to see the "Tender Mercies" every day

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  3. It is so wonderful to remember the little blessings and pleasures in life.

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  4. I am so glad her children are doing this. She was an elect lady, and it is wonderful to read her words. Thanks for sharing this.

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  5. this is a good reminder to cherish the little things and not just get through the day. thanks. (and I love your new heart objects banner)

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  6. how beautiful, to have the words of a departed friend. i have been thinking of a friend i lost last year and wished i had more of her to cherish.

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  7. That's wonderful that they have so many writings. I know I love to read my Grandmothers journal of her day to day life. It really is a treasure.

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  8. Wow. How wonderful and beautiful. That is truly a gift.

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