Rainy Day Musings

It has been a rainy week and a half in the soul for me. Many hours spent holding a sick, not-so-sick and then just plain teething baby (tooth #6 has appeared!). Days filled with doing the right thing by postponing social engagements and then wondering why I am not getting anything else done. Yesterday, the babe was happier and I reorganized the pantry cupboards as part of our ongoing struggle against a little mouse crusader who thinks he should have a home in Sunnyside Cottage. The answer is no. Friendly mice with good manners only appear in books.

I do appreciate rainy days for how much they lend themselves to thinking. The steady thrumming of raindrops on our tin roof turns my thoughts into dreams and principles and deep meditations. I feel like the weightier things of life are easier to grasp on rainy days.

So I have been thinking on things like hospitality and family values and what we need to be happy. Considering the concept of giving kindness to strangers and what that means and what is my motivations (selfish or unselfish?) and how to receive gratefully. I felt this concept keenly a few days ago. While in a retail store, a young woman approached me while I was holding Devereaux and looking at a baby winter hats. She smiled, took a single pink rose from the bouquet in her hands and said, "for you." I was stunned and simply said, "thank you." And then I smiled for the next hour. I didn't question why she gave me a rose. I just accepted it for what it was --- kindness freely given. And I was challenged by this gesture to a complete stranger.

Kindness to strangers is a concept demonstrated throughout Scripture.