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Saturday, March 7, 2020

The $10 Lesson

This is a post I am so happy to share with y'all.
I know at least a good majority of my readers here are good people 
so I know you'll "get it."
In order to share the lesson,
I have to share the story.
Several years ago my mom went through an awful treatment for skin cancer.
She had an equally awful reaction that was life altering for her.
The response of the doctors was,
"That only happens to .01% of people."
She was in pain for quite a while.
The chemical cures they prescribed for the reaction 
by trial and error only hurt her more.
I gave her some homemade lotion to try
which she uses to this day.
She can no longer go outside and has to wear long sleeved UV clothing 
even inside if the sun is shining.
It's been long enough now that we can harass her about being a vampire,
but at first it was devastating
for someone who lived outside and who's therapy was the garden.
Fast forward a few years.
We had a gentleman come into the shop a while back
asking for a fix on the frame of a neat old pickup he recently acquired.
MrLB told him what he would do to fix it and about how much it would be.
We had a big job we were working on and said to give us a call
and we would work it into the schedule in February 
which was fine with the gentleman.
Hubby was just mentioning a week or so ago, that the fella with the pickup never came back.
He said, "I told him how I'd fix it so he probably had someone else do it."
Within a day or two of that statement,
he came into the shop, only we hardly recognized him.
It was the first time he had been out of the house in nearly 3 weeks.
His face looked like it had been beat with knife grass - that grass that cuts.
He explained that he had been in for skin treatment and had a reaction.
Evidently he is also one of the .01%.
After chatting for a few minutes,
it was obvious he had been and was still in pain.
I've made my own lotion for some time now and had a small jar in my desk drawer.
I gave it to him to try.
He called the next day and said he didn't react to it,
and that it actually felt soothing especially to his ears which were particularly painful.
I made him a batch over the weekend and took it in Monday 
which was when he was picking up his pickup.
I put it in a clean peanutbutter jar so he could get his hand into it.
I don't sell the lotion.
It's a Rosemary Gladstar recipe not mine,
and I told him that.
He paid me $10 more than the cost of the ingredients.
I was fine with that - my time etc.
I told him he didn't even have to pay me.
Knowing the pain my mom went through,
I would have made it for him regardless.
Any "extra" money I get throughout the year, I save for quilt show in October.
So I put the money in my little stash.
Then comes the lesson portion ~
A friend who lives in another state lives on a fixed income.
She recently pulled $10 from one allotted fund
to add a little something extra to her granddaughter's birthday gift.
She will be discontinuing her internet soon because she doesn't have the extra money 
and internet is not a necessity.
She is wise with her pennies,
and I respect her for that.
I was only too glad to send that $10 to her with a little note.
As I see it, it's really for her granddaughter.
I know it's not millions but am hoping it helps or at least replaces it.
Today while I was at work,
a woman came in with a jar that held a $10 bill.
It was the gentleman's wife.
She wouldn't let me refuse it.
She said "He had a bee in his bonnet, and I was to have it."
She also said the last two nights he has been able to wear his cpap machine again 
so has been able to sleep and is beginning to feel better.
So I replaced the $10 in my stash.
The thing about all of this, which I already knew deep down
is that I would have made the lotion for him for free.
It made me feel good to be able to offer some sort of help.
It was also easy for me to send the $10 to my friend.
I didn't even think twice about that.
And when generosity feels good,
it's just right and is rewarded on multiple levels.
This really isn't about me,
but each and every one of us.
If we can find a way to give that we genuinely feel good about,
we receive a gift far greater and everyone wins.
I know that - have known that,
but I think it must be easy to get caught up in our daily grind and forget.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who forgets this at times.
So needless to say,
I'm so happy to be reminded of this lesson.
$10 may seem like a silly sum these days,
but it's sure been a valuable lesson.
I hope this little story can help you as well.
Whether we are on the giving or receiving end,
generousity and graditude are just plain good for the soul.
I think we've all been on both sides at one time or another 
which makes it even better.

11 comments:

  1. -happy sigh- What a lovely, lovely story. Not a "story", of course. Truth!

    Repairing vehicles... That rings a bell! My husband is into old cars/trucks. People who fix them, are Golden!

    Lovely that a natural cream, can be of so much help. Lovely of you to make it. And for them, to have it.

    Thank you my Dear, for this uplifting reminder... Of an important lesson.

    Gentle hugs...

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  2. A beautiful posting. A good lesson ( reminder ) that when you give, you receive often from unexpected places. These are called blessings....thank you for sharing and reminding us what we've all be taught. :)

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  3. By blessing, you are blessed (multiple meanings there).

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  4. This is a wonderful story. I am sure your generosity helped more than just those you wrote about. No you aren't the only one that forgets sometimes. It is good to have a reminder. :)

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  5. How wonderful that you were able to help him. That sounds so painful. It reminds me of a lye burn.

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  6. I love this story because I think we'll be okay as long as there are people willing to selflessly help others when there's a need. I'm so glad you were able to help the man get some relief.
    Have a great week!

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  7. I love to read your writing, I just sink right in, like a friend chatting on the couch with a glass of tea. And I love your "lesson". The $10 was especially poignant for me. When I was a young wife with a toddler and a 6 month old, my hubby lost his job. We were cutting wood for folks, just to have diaper money. My dear grandmother, who has been on a farm laborer wages her whole life, gave me a small dish of hers that I had always loved. Inside was a $10 bill. It was a huge amount for her to give, and for me to receive. She told me she knew how it felt to be so low, and not to spend a dime of it on "necessities". It's been 23 years and that little dish sits by my sink to remind me how the smallest gift can carry immense love. I know that the people you have touched will carry the memory in their hearts forever.

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  8. Such a wonderful story. I have been on the receiving end for a few years now. I did give and found great joy in giving, I'm not so good at receiving. I thank the person and am grateful but, when you have been independent for so long, receiving takes time to accept. I'm so glad you were able to help with your lotion! Such a miracle. The world is a circle

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  9. Wonderful story and concrete proof that what goes around comes around (to quote the old adage). You have blessed that gentleman and his wife and I have no doubt they will remember this and pay it forward in some way to someone else.

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  10. Aww, LL. I just saw this story today and love it! Love the lotion, and the mutual friend, too!

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