Significant/Insignificant Moments

Kaylonnie White

You never know how one person is going to touch another person's life.  About 11 years ago the lady who lived across the street from us, Ruth, had a stroke and was very ill.  My daughter, Kaylonnie, who was then about 11 years old, and her neighborhood friends drew a picture as a get well card and they all signed their names and gave it to Ruth.

While the kids wanted to do something nice for Ruth, I'm sure they never understood the significance of that little homemade get well card.  Kaylonnie is almost 22 years old now, and her friends are about the same age.  I'd be willing to bet that none of them even remember giving Ruth that little card.  It was an insignificant moment in their lives.

Ruth passed away a couple of months ago.  Her daughter, Lolly, is in the process of clearing out Ruth's house to rent.  Today she walked across the street with Ruth's card and handed it to my husband.  She told Danny that Ruth had kept it on the bulletin board in her room all these years.  What was a tiny insignificant moment in the lives of these children, was a very significant moment in the life of one very ill little old lady.

Kaylonnie's birthday is coming up, and she is currently in Brazil serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Tonight I packaged up some goodies in two bubble envelopes to send to her for her birthday -- the traditional care package of peanut butter, Fiber One bars, Crystal Light, Ranch flavored Doritos, etc.  In one of the envelopes, I carefully placed Ruth's card, with a note explaining to Kaylonnie the significance of the card to Ruth.  I told her to compare it to missionary work. She may say something today that she doesn't even realize will be of great significance to someone -- and she may never know it.  I told her that when she gets discouraged, that she needs to look at Ruth's card and remember what it meant to Ruth.