This is the story of an old auntie.
My auntie Netje (Antoinette) is having diabetes since many years. More than 20 years ago her right leg had to be amputated and ever since, she has some phantom pains; and of course walking with a prosthetic leg is not a very easy thing to do.
Whenever we go back to my home town, we try to visit her and bring her out from her apartment to visit some nice place or more often, other relatives or friends. On one of these outings we were on a visit to my cousin's place. Her husband is very good at gardening and has a small vegetable garden at the back of his yard, of which he is rightfully very proud. So on that sunny afternoon we had a wonderful cup of coffee with a delicious piece of cake from he local bakery. After that the husband of my cousin invited us all to see his vegetable garden.
While we were there, my auntie had waited on a bench facing a beautiful stretch of grass. My son who must have been about ten years old time, had also not followed the rest of us and had plucked some daisies and dandelions from the grass for my auntie Netje.
We did not know about this and my auntie kept it as a happy secret in her heart. That is until some months later during another visit to our home town, when she said to me: Johan (My son) is the sweetest boy I have ever known. It took me a bit by surprise, not because he is not sweet but people do not often give compliments like this. I said: why? And the above story came out.
Until now, perhaps twelve years later, she still has a very special soft place in her heart for Johan. Whenever I call her or see her, she asks about him. If he comes along to meet her, the two of them are like the closest friends imaginable. My son loves her, and she loves my son. A small deed, a small attentive little random kind act creating a ripple of lasting happiness.
Can you imagine? Such a small act, and so much happiness, for my auntie, for my son, for me and my wife, for anyone who hears this wonderful story. A ripple, becoming a wave and if you and your friends share this story over a cup of coffee or it inspires you pluck some flowers for an old and lonely lady, the ripple, the wave, may become a tsunami of kindness enveloping the whole world... :)
My auntie Netje (Antoinette) is having diabetes since many years. More than 20 years ago her right leg had to be amputated and ever since, she has some phantom pains; and of course walking with a prosthetic leg is not a very easy thing to do.
Whenever we go back to my home town, we try to visit her and bring her out from her apartment to visit some nice place or more often, other relatives or friends. On one of these outings we were on a visit to my cousin's place. Her husband is very good at gardening and has a small vegetable garden at the back of his yard, of which he is rightfully very proud. So on that sunny afternoon we had a wonderful cup of coffee with a delicious piece of cake from he local bakery. After that the husband of my cousin invited us all to see his vegetable garden.
While we were there, my auntie had waited on a bench facing a beautiful stretch of grass. My son who must have been about ten years old time, had also not followed the rest of us and had plucked some daisies and dandelions from the grass for my auntie Netje.
We did not know about this and my auntie kept it as a happy secret in her heart. That is until some months later during another visit to our home town, when she said to me: Johan (My son) is the sweetest boy I have ever known. It took me a bit by surprise, not because he is not sweet but people do not often give compliments like this. I said: why? And the above story came out.
Until now, perhaps twelve years later, she still has a very special soft place in her heart for Johan. Whenever I call her or see her, she asks about him. If he comes along to meet her, the two of them are like the closest friends imaginable. My son loves her, and she loves my son. A small deed, a small attentive little random kind act creating a ripple of lasting happiness.
Can you imagine? Such a small act, and so much happiness, for my auntie, for my son, for me and my wife, for anyone who hears this wonderful story. A ripple, becoming a wave and if you and your friends share this story over a cup of coffee or it inspires you pluck some flowers for an old and lonely lady, the ripple, the wave, may become a tsunami of kindness enveloping the whole world... :)
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