It’s the Little Things

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:16 (New Oxford Bible) 

My mom was one of the kindest people I have ever known. When I was growing up in the 1940’s (the WWII years), I watched as she interacted with the people who came to our home. She never let anyone leave our house until they had either enjoyed a cup of coffee or were leaving with a small gift from her kitchen. 

After the war ended, life gradually normalized, and before long, the stores had a better supply of products to sell and things like coffee and sugar were no longer rationed. At last, one could buy sugar without a government coupon. 

My mother loved to make candy. My brother and I would help with the taffy pulling. She also made Hershey’s cocoa fudge and puffy white clouds of divinity, but she was known for her sweet and salty peanut butter fudge. It had the smoothest texture and just a hint of saltiness in every bite. (Her secret ingredient was finely crushed saltine crackers).

After all these years, I still try to keep the “little kitchen gifts” a reality, but I’m not a candy maker. I do love to bake cookies though. NO, nothing fancy, just old-fashioned oatmeal raisin cookies, Toll House cookies and chocolate dipped Skippy peanut butter cookies. I try to give everyone who helps me with chores a little gift of homemade cookies.

Last week it was cold and snowy but I cleaned the lid on my garbage container with Clorox Clean-up then I double bagged some cookies and taped the cookies along with a note that said “Thank You. Enjoy the cookies” to the top of the garbage container. I do this every few weeks to thank the man who does such necessary but unpleasant work. But last week the thank you note was still taped to the lid when I went out to put the garbage container away.

I noticed the garbage man had scribbled a note at the bottom of my note which read, “You’re the good Cookie!” I smiled off and on the rest of that whole day after reading those 4 words.

It’s the little things!

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the little kindnesses that people do for one another that make all our lives so much better. Amen

Judith Welch