letters from Mary...

Often times it is people I have never met whose words of affirmation feed my soul 

and make these long hours of designing all worth it.

Last week it happened just this way. 

I got the mail as usual and noticed a letter and did not recognize the sender's name.

It was the sweetest letter from a woman named Mary 

who told me that she only knew me through my cards I designed. 

She wrote that she had been buying my cards at a local store for years 

and she was sad that I wasn't printing them any longer. 

She also wrote that she was the lucky one to purchase the last four cards from this local store. 

I assumed from her dainty writing and her eloquent wording that Mary is elderly.

But just from reading her note, I could tell she truly meant that she loved these cards 

and that she was sad to see them unavailable. 

I was honestly blown away that this woman took the time to find my address 

and write a letter thanking me for creating them. 

So I decided to bless her back. 

I gathered about 40+ cards here from my personal stash and envelopes...

wrapped them all up with a pretty bow in a bag with colorful tissue and a note thanking her for her sweet letter.

We mapquested her address and found she was just three miles away. 

The girls happened to be with me during this time so it was a teachable moment in "paying it forward." 

We walked to Mary's carport door and rang the bell.  

Sweet Mary's home nurse and care taker greeted us and then got Mary to the door. 

After I explained who I was we all hugged and visited for a bit.

She was beyond thrilled with the new cards we delivered 

and explained that she is fairly house bound these days 

and when she does go out, she must wear a mask. 

Writing notes to friends and loved ones is her ministry these days as I had already learned.

And so today, another letter in my mailbox from Mary 

telling me that our visit was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for her.

Wow!

And so this makes me think about many things. 

A hand-written note is more powerful than any e-mail will ever be. 

Getting older like Mary is not something we look forward to, 

and yet her wisdom and loving manner are to be greatly admired.

This simple, random act of kindness on her part has stirred my heart 

and has become a teachable moment to my children.
God gives us the privilege of blessing others...may we view it as such.

When I create the collage which says

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO BLESS OTHERS

I am not kidding. 

©caroline simas

They are all around us. 

Every  day.

Lots of them.

And if when we find one, we should act on it....

because we must know that if we do,

we will be blessed far greater in return.

xoxo,
Caroline

P.S. Sorry for the post delay...we lost internet connection last night due to the storm!