My mom has many wonderful qualities. She puts her family first all the time, she is an amazing organizer and planner, she can garden and has a passion for it, she maintains the family circuit of information (known locally as the Joy Daily News), she loves the crazy dogs that our family ends up adopting, but most of all she affirms other people. Her gift is one I can only hope to emulate. The above phrase is something that I have heard her say ever since I can remember. She usually says it as she is ending a conversation on the phone or maybe that is just when I notice it the most. This departing phrase isn't reserved for family but is also used for friends, both old and new. It rolls of her tongue so easily and the beautiful thing about it is that she means it. Every. Single. Time.
I asked her once why she always said this to people. I can't remember exactly what she said but the thought behind it blew me away. She said that it didn't cost her anything to say it and the other person may need it or may be it would be just something to let them know that they were appreciated. She became my very first example of what it is like to be generous, not with money or with time, but with words.
So, Mom, in case you are wondering - You too are wonderful
I have been the recipient many times of that gift. I can remember so often Joy would say that to me, "You're wonderful." The impact so great that I often stopped during the day to remember exactly what she said. I try to remember to tell people that when I am in the checkout line or in random conversations.
ReplyDeleteIt's just really nice and awesome that this seemingly simple end of a Joy conversation, is so powerful to the one on the receiving end.