Doesn’t it just do your heart good when you see a true human connection?

This year has been riddled with other-than-fantastic events. The deaths of Chris’ cousin, Mom Pollock, our nephew and a friend were only part of the stressors of the year. We were falling down, but loved ones stepped in as nets to hold us up and showed that they really know us and care.

In no-pressure ways, they demonstrated their unconditional love — sending us gifs and meal offers and memes and texts and emails and voicemails, oh my! Never expecting us to respond (which we often did not have the bandwidth to do). I was given several sets of special earrings from a dear one from her own cherished collection. Work gave me over 70 days off in the past year and encouraged me to take more if I need/want it. Just amazing.

One friend gave us a lucky elephant. There is more to her story, but the bottom line is that she was walking home from the grocery store, and her food bag was breaking. A stronger bag showed up on the street by her feet. Nobody claimed it so she was able to put her groceries in the bag. At the bottom of the bag she found some elephants. Her daughter claimed one, she kept another, and gave us the this one so our luck could change.

Another friend gifted me with a shirt that she knew would make me laugh. She made it herself.

And then there is Mom’s church. It’s a small church where she played the organ into her 90th year of living. Mom Pollock was known around town because she was always bringing people food and inviting them to church. She was really fond of getting a good bargain, and one of her favorite stores was called Real Deals. It was kind of an overstock warehouse sort-of-store where everything sold for $1. (Except in recent years where it went up to $1.25.)

Seriously good deals there. It was a chain that went defunct when the owners retired. I sometimes find it ironic that Mom died within months of when the Real Deals stores in her area closed… I digress, though. Back to the main story.

Real Deals had some inventory our entire family stocked up on. GIANT cans of dill pickles for that $1.25. Can’t tell you how many we got. Those things last forever. Apparently Mom was constantly offering them to people at church. After the memorial service at her church they had food and announced that there was one last can of hers left for people to enjoy.

How amazing is that?!? Mom would have been so honored 😀 They sure knew her. But the story gets better.

A week or two later one of Mom’s friends sent me this picture on a Sunday morning. The church members decided to use the pickle can as a vase in memory of Mom, placing it on the organ with silk flowers inside. They plan to switch out the flowers for different holidays and occasions throughout the year.

Isn’t that just the best? Mom was really into her organ playing. And she was really big on prayer. She had a dream before her death that she was in Heaven and was shown the place where she would work (yes, work in Heaven.) She explained it really wasn’t work. It was just a place to go to pray for others.

Now the people in the church can look at the “vase” and remember how they were loved by her, and how she was always praying for everyone. They really knew her. I think it’s one of the most beautiful gestures ever.

It’s also a good reminder to show people we love that we see them. Really see them. And remind them of our love in unique ways they will appreciate. I’m thankful for all of this and hope you have people in your world who really know you, too.