Try a little Kindness☀️🙏🏻

‘As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied Grace’. (1Peter:4:10)

I knew in my deepest heart she was kind and generous, I just knew. Her mother-in-law is my friend and so our paths would cross sometimes. How could I possibly know anything about her and yet I did. Mystery!!

Until this morning that is!!

Back then, one extremely dark wintry evening, Derm and I in Killarney Outlet Centre having travelled by bus from Cork. Derm had recently been diagnosed with Kerataconus and was attending wonderful Opticians in Cork.

Treacherous weather conditions, snow and sleet, resulting in missing our connecting bus home. Dire straits!! Stopping over in Killarney, out of the question, money scarce. Taxi fare far beyond our reach too but beggars cannot be choosers. We had nobody to call on, not one.

No memory of how we got talking to shopkeeper lady, perhaps we asked about getting a taxi, but on hearing our predicament she offered wholeheartedly to drive us all the way home, over thirty miles without a second thought in the driving sleet and snow. She would be finishing her shift shortly. Of course I could not possibly accept but she insisted adding; ‘Many times I have been stranded just as you are now. I know well how that feels’.

I remember vividly how relieved Derm and I both felt in that moment, at the same time too hoping against hope that we might find another way.

God is great all the time!! Glumly walking aimlessly about when Lawrence, guy from our town I knew from my younger days, came walking towards us. Miracle definitely!! He and us were the only three people in the building that evening. Lawrence, more than happy to drop us at our door, God Bless his kind heart. 

We thanked kind lady and after that our paths never crossed again. I did go to her shop but it had shut down never again to reopen. We never forgot her kindness though.

Then this morning enjoying my cuppa when it dawned on me who kind lady is!! Kind shopkeeper lady in our hour of need is my friend’s kind daughter-in-law!! Utterly amazing. It just came together in an instant! 

I couldn’t wait to call up my friend and wow!! her son (kind lady’s husband) was with her. ‘Have I got a story for you’, I told them both as they listened joyfully. Fifteen years ago she worked in that shop, he told me. Yes, it was her alright.

I knew she was kind!! The heart never forgets!! Circle closed.

Just now message from my friend to say her daughter-in-law remembers but had no idea it was me and is shocked that I discovered it was her, after all this time. 

Divine intervention! Holy Spirit of course!! 

‘But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my Name, He will teach you all things and bring to remembrance all that I have said to you’. (John14:26)

‘Divide your day into three parts. In the morning, as soon as you awaken, give yourself to the Father Creator, who offers you His Son as food. After Mass, give yourself to the Son, who is in you and fall asleep in the Holy Spirit, who is love’. (Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis/God calling)