Peonies make me think of my mom.
Red wine makes me think of Christie.
Chocolate cake makes me think of Amy.
Cardinals make me think of Nicole.
Bon Jovi makes me think of Sarah.
Likewise, my mom regularly sneaks me York Peppermint Patties because she knows I love them. My aunt brings me homemade Chex Mix whenever she comes to town because I love it so much (hers is the very best). Christie knows my favorite coffee and brings me some anytime she’s at Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co. Amy sent me a bracelet inscribed with a saying that is meaningful to us. Nicole surprised me with a bottle of my favorite nail polish that’s hard to find (OPI Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It). And my son is prone to bringing me any purple flowers he finds, because purple is my favorite color.
I don’t know which is better: knowing someone well enough to delight them in some little way, or being known so well. A surprise gift of flowers or candy is always nice, but a surprise gift of your favorite flowers or candy means even more.
It's been a doozy of a week for some of the people in my circle. All kinds of angst with job situations, in-law problems, injuries, a death in the family, and more. I can't fix any of the things my friends and family are currently dealing with, but I can look for little ways to make them feel seen and loved. Sometimes I tend to ignore that little voice that tells me a certain song reminds me of someone, or they'd really like some certain trinket I see in a store somewhere. But not this week! My mission for the next few days is to pay attention to those things, and act on them - if for no other reason than it will let the people I love know that I'm thinking about them. Something tells me it's going to be fun!
- Holly
