It has been quite a week at our little spot in the valley. I was feeling “a bit below the radar”, not so much about my health but about my appearance. I should have had my hair cut the week before this whole pandemic-altering lifestyle, but thought it would be good for a couple more weeks. Now it was a couple of months, and I was hoping that my dear hubby wouldn’t go and buy a dog tag for me.

One morning, I had a “news flash”! We used to have our hair appointments in a city shop, and our favorite stylist was a certified barber and hair stylist. When she resigned and started a mobile salon, we mutually agreed that we would find someone in our town because she wasn’t interested in driving to any rural location. Why not call her and ask if she would cut our hair if I drove to the city to pick her up. “I can come by myself if you will give me clear directions,” she replied. “I would love to get a bit of ‘country air’ in my lungs, and a cup of coffee on your patio.”

It was a lovely day and she “set up shop” on our driveway. No need for a drop sheet, thanks to a slight breeze. We had a pleasant conversation about family and work, and when she asked me what was filling my time, I told her how our son brought everything out of our attic, most items belonging to him and his sister. When we moved to our present home, their belongings in the rooms they had grown up in came with us because they were in education programs and didn’t have the time to sort through their stuff. That was almost 30 years ago, and now we did find some personal ‘treasures’, some items that are now almost collectable, many items that seemed to be too good to throw out, and piles of “junque” that would not be saved.

When their items were sorted and boxed, I finally had room to move in our main storage room.  I then started sorting through our stuff, and creating the three categories that I have written about in a previous blog… (1) put it away; (2) give it away; (3) throw it away! If we haven’t used it or looked at it in two years, we don’t need it. Now were we ready to find some organization who would accept the reusable items. Our other alternative was to take it to Value Village or, as a last resort, deliver it to the local dump.

I was surprised when my hairdresser asked if she could have a look at what we were giving away, so off we went to inspect the load of items in our van, and in our storage room. She told me that she had spoken to two church organizations that week, who normally have a Rummage Sale every year to raise funds for benevolent projects, but may have to cancel because they were not receiving many items that were saleable. She asked if I would consider donating our items to one of these. We were thrilled because it would be of a benefit to a local project.

As we were enjoying our coffee on the patio, so she could have a glimpse of our ‘green valley’, she asked if I could recommend where she could find a mattress for herself, at a reasonable and affordable price. She has been a single mother for over 30 years and has never been able to afford a new bed, or even a mattress, for herself. We just happened to have a ‘next-to-new’ mattress in our guest room, including new bedding. She apologized for even asking, but had just ‘popped’ in her mind. Interesting, I thought?

On the weekend, she returned with her son and his truck, and loaded everything to deliver to her church and to her home. To receive many words of thanks and appreciation, with tears in her eyes, was the ultimate payment that we never anticipated, never planned on, and never expected.

For us, that was a ‘God-Moment’!

Tags: Gift Friendship