I am surrounded by generous people. Before Shawn died, I did not know the meaning of generosity. His death opened the gift of a generous heart for me.
This week, a person I vaguely knew, introduced himself to me by gifting my children with two wooden hope chests, hand carved, designed and blessed for them to hold keepsakes of their father. His Christmas gift to them holds indescribable artistry and love stemming from his own life journey of loss generously being shared with my kids at an age before they can fully comprehend or appreciate what they are being given.
I often look at my children and tell them, “you are incredibly fortunate,” while in mid-sentence I ponder the paradox of how I can verbally place these admirable words around them when they have lost the most precious life of their father. Yet, in truth they are indeed blessed by the generous hearts of the many beautiful people in their lives. It is in the giving of others that my eyes see what my heart mourns and in the midst allows me to find gratitude within such a strange parellel.
In essence, my children have not lost the treasure of their father; which held the hope and love he desired for their lives. This hope and aspiration lives among Jordan and Madelynn through the love they are continually given. I was reminded of this today when I contentrated on the craftsmanship of the wooden boxes. It is a most appropriate Christmas gift, for didn’t the Christ child come to us in a wooden manger fulfilling the promise to give our hearts hope. It is only in generosity that we can truly see our bounty. And it is in the generous friendship of others that I recognize our abundance and with pure honesty claim, "we are incredibly fortunate."
