Bottled water is expected to be available in the office and at home. As often as I have looked at the bottle in the apartment, I have missed observing how water is stored. The mini cloud within the bottle stored the condensation as water droplets. It was a metaphorical picture that connected several dots in my life, allowing me to see today through different glasses.
Each act of care and kindness is stored within one’s heart, mind, and soul. Often, I do not realise just how much is in me, waiting, at the ready, for use when an opportunity occurs. I am caught up with all the things that drain me. Dramas, uncertainties, and fears dominate my thinking. It is as if I am afraid to let go, especially when I am unsure. I wonder what I will be left with my release. Reflecting on the droplets, I can see and feel unmerited acts of kindness freely shared with me. I hear words of comfort and support. There is laughter and hope in each one. When the time comes, they will fill a waiting cup, captured in someone’s soul in a way that can never be thrown away.
Positive gifts are found everywhere. From tragedy, hope has emerged. In pain, I have discovered what it means to be comforted. In despair, hope is delivered when I least expect or deserve it. The reminder of how light shines on us points me to how much care, kindness, and love there is in a world dominated by division, hate, and destruction. There are ample reasons to be fearful, even to the point of despair. There are even more reasons to smile, laugh, and support those around me because I know a single candle can dominate the darkness.
We define life. Life is found in relationships, family, and community. Each finding is a word for “us”. I have a role. I can care to make a difference. I can be an agent responding to the call. “Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love.” (Hebrews 13.1)
