Sometimes when you least expect it, you receive something you didn’t know you needed

It came with a small gift, though the gift was a mere token for what the card held inside. Left on our porch in the Fall of 2008 by a neighbor, was a handwritten message inside a personalized stationary card. I was a brand new mom with a 9 month old son and I hopelessly needed this gift, but not until years later.

Sometimes when you least expect it, you receive something you didn’t know you needed. I opened my door that chilly Fall morning and unbeknownst to me stumbled across the gift. As I opened the card I froze, as I do with any strong emotion. I was honored, I was surprised and I certainly didn’t know how to respond.

Dear Casey and Desiree,

Yesterday, before approaching you, I saw you walking with Braden together as a family. Of course everyone else in the neighborhood notices that! It’s just wonderful to see a family like yours stay together and keep that love and make time for each other. It shows how much you love and care about each other and it is no doubt that Braden will see the value of that as he grows up. 

Thank you for demonstrating your love as a family and making that an important foundation for Braden. 

Truly yours, Vanessa

I keep this card in a Christmas photo album I made just shortly after receiving the card for safe keeping. Oddly enough it was just a few weeks ago that I thought of this neighbor and of her gift and I felt the need to read the message again. It goes without saying that life got pretty crazy over the last few years with the addition of 3 more children and in the whirlwind of life’s normal activity it’s hard to see the bigger picture as a family sometimes. I get so wrapped up in the day to day and what needs to be done with each of the kids and the household that I lose touch of what’s really important. Like a predestination of fate, it was just the other day my son brought me this card and Vanessa’s message rang more true today than it ever did 7 years ago.

I am not sure if I was ever able to find Vanessa and thank her in person, but I am confident that she knows how much this heartfelt message meant to us. This card and the message it contained has not only reminded me but it has inspired me to pay it forward more often in 2015 to tell friends and family things that are lovely and heartfelt that will contain a message that will carry them through when life gets tough and things aren’t so wonderful. Because sometimes when you least expect it, you receive something you didn’t know you needed.