Saturday, August 31, 2013

Kindness Without Keeping Tabs

"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession."
Sophocles

The other day, I told one of the key members of my raising-children village that I might need her help during an upcoming business trip, but I promised to reciprocate.  Given how much I was going to need her help, I already was thinking of how many times I could pick up her children and what else I could possible do. "No, no, no," she said.  "We don't keep track."

It is truly a joint effort -- this parenting adventure.  Life has become increasingly more complicated:  Dads don't come home at 5 like Ward Cleaver, most of us aren't in the kitchen wearing lovely dresses and pearls like June, and the children's activities aren't down the street and over by dinner time.  So, we do the best we can, helping our fellow parents along the way and counting our blessings for their kindnesses toward us -- especially when their kindness comes without keeping tabs.

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