Hex check and a circle story

166.

I'm hoping to have all of them done by the end of today. I need to get this quilt wrapped up for a lot of reasons (mostly because it's for my wonderful Mom!), but among all those reasons is to honor something that happened to me in May:

It was my birthday, and aside from my Mom and Dad and my great aunt, nobody remembered--not my best friend, not my brothers......not even DH! DH announced that he was going to play softball after work. So, since I was not about to sit at home and cook, the kids and I went to a favorite local pizza place and had dinner. The kids were singing "Happy Birthday" to me at the table and we had a really good time together. There was a couple at a table nearby who were smiling at the kids (as they should--those two munchkins are cute--esp. when they sing!).

The couple finished before we did and left. Then, when I asked for the check, our waitress came back with our to-go box and a little card, and she explained to me that the couple had paid our bill and had asked her to give me the card. The card was a "random act of kindness" card in memory of a woman who died of breast cancer at 46--only two years older than I.

It was all I could do to not cry then and there--here I was, admittedly feeling a little sorry for myself, and then I was handed this reminder--from two complete strangers--that there are such bigger things happening all around you and that having your blessedly normal, healthy family and your privileged life with a sturdy home and cars and jobs is SUCH an amazing gift......I have been carrying that card with me ever since.

I had been waiting for an opportunity to do something akin to what those two people did for me and the kids that night--some way to do something nice for someone that is completely unexpected and anonymous. I just haven't found a scenario to act on, and it has been bothering me.

I want to bring my part of their random act of kindness full circle. I've realized that for me, the best way to extend myself and convey a gift of kindness to someone else that will really be from me will be through quilting. So, I think I have figured out what I want to do. But first I am going to finish up my Mom's quilt and then I'll begin my work to complete the circle that was started in May. Funny how a "gift" from two complete strangers left such an impression on me. I hope that my part of it will keep the spirit of what they did moving forward. More to come on this.