Love Warms Us All

Yesterday we spent the day with a couple who are very close to our hearts. We had a lovely day with plenty of food and drink and lots of fun and laughter together, especially playing games as teams.

It was a mild day and evening temperature-wise. We were very comfortable in every way and enjoyed our time together.

When I woke up this morning, I heard an exclaimation and wondered what was going on. It turns out that the mild night had turned into a snowy one with about four inches settled all around as the temperature had plummetted.

We all had journeys to make this morning; we were due to come home, and our hosts were going to visit some relatives.

Thankfully, because it had been mild, the snow was quite slushy. There were a few areas where the compounded snow caused us a little issue in stopping, and the snow continued to fall for most of the journey, but, thankfully, it was a pretty uneventful one.

Then suddenly, about five miles from home, the snow turned to sleet and nothing was settled. The difference was bizzare and it also changed how I felt as a passenger in the car.

It got me thinking about love and how love can make all the difference in our lives. When we are with someone we love, we can take more knocks that when we are alone and we excel at things we are good at when we are encouraged.

Sometimes, it is not possible to be with those we love, for a number of reasons, but we can show love to others every day of our lives and that love lives on even when we are not with them. Gifts are wonderful to give and receive, but often the most priceless gifts don't cost money.

We can smile at those whom we pass in the streets rather than be totally focussed inward, speak a friendly word to the cashier, or those we are in the queue with, thank people for what they do, give praise to others...there are so many ways to show love that cost nothing, but are priceless gifts.

How many priceless gifts can you give away this year? Maybe one each day? I wonder, how many peoples' lives will be touched by those gifts? If only one of us gives away 365 priceless gifts this year, we have no idea how many lives that would transform with the "domino" effect.

I realise that when one domino is knocked over, it knocks over the rest, however, the domino effect also implies that once the chain reaction is started, it carries on to completion, until all the dominoes are affected. If someone has been made to feel loved and special by our priceless gift, hopefully they will deliver a priceless gift to someone else, they will deliver to another and so on.

I wonder how long it will be before we could fill the world with priceless gifts?

Jeany Pavett

Author of:

Life After Death: A Mother's Story