I came across these cards as I was sorting through some old things last night and smiled as I thought back to receiving them. I remember being called to the school office one day and finding flowers when I got there. My mom had died about five weeks earlier and, unbeknownst to me, my friend Kater had made note of when my mom's birthday was. She surprised me with flowers on that first missed birthday during our sophomore year, then continued to do so throughout the rest of the high school.
During a hard time when we were blessed with more acts of kindness than I could possibly keep track of, her thoughtfulness in acknowledging that initial milestone and the two that followed still stands out in my mind as one of the highlights of feeling loved and cared for nearly 26 years later. Making note of significant dates, primarily their birthday, at the time of someone's death continues to be something I try to do myself and encourage others to do when they're looking for ways to support a grieving person or family.
I'm thankful for Kater's friendship back then and love the way one relatively small decision she made has had a big ripple effect for so many years.
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