Thursday, April 14, 2011

The Blessing of Sharing

Well, after literally dragging all of that fresh food home by myself, in the rain, I received the added blessing of sharing. I had purchased as much fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts as I could because my son has been sick, and I wanted to pump him full of fresh things to help him heal. Well, over the next couple of days, we've been taking some of our fresh things with us to work and school so we could 'graze' during the day. Along the way, we've also had occasions to share.
The morning after I brought the groceries home, we were on the bus talking to a young mother with two small daughters. The mother is working very hard to complete a medical assistant certification program, and she is so diligent to make sure her children are well behaved and cared for. I had a couple of extra oranges and offered them to the girls, and they were pleasantly surprised and delighted to have them. The following morning we also had some extra fruit with us when we encountered a homeless woman standing near a trash can. I could tell she was not looking forward to having to rummage through the trash to find leftover food, so I offered her an apple. Again, she was a grateful recipient of an unexpected blessing, but the smile on her face became my blessing. A truly wise teacher once said, 'There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.' I often tell my son that the reason we prosper is to share. The blessing of sharing and giving is what makes the struggle of receiving worthwhile, even if it means dragging several bags of groceries on the bus in the rain.

3 comments:

Adams Carroll said...

I love your blog so much! Your message is consistently uplifting and inspiring. You are a true Nashville hero! I will be moving back to Nashville in the summer after several years away and hope to follow in your carfree footsteps. Thank you for the positive words! I truly look forward to reading your new posts. All the best, Adams.

Anonymous said...

I was talking with a lady today and she shared your blog with me. I love your inspiring message and all the savvy trips for bus riding. I started riding the bus to and from work about 2 weeks ago and will using it more and more for our daily travel. While not carless I have a vehicle that is slowly dying and bus riding has been a life saver. I have so enjoyed getting to know bus drivers and chatting with my fellow bus riders. I was reading through your archives and found your post about taking the bus to the airport! Thank you! We are flying to see family in a few weeks and will now be taking the bus and keeping that parking fee in our "save up for car repairs" envelope. Thanks for such a great and inspiring blog!

Anonymous said...

ooops... new bus rider and poor typer. I meant to say a lady from MTA today...