A Touch of Kindness

Be kind and tender-hearted to one another...

-Ephesians 4:32

Yesterday was an emotional day for me.

After I discovered my pet Sammy was gone at 2:50 a.m., I sprung into action. Cleaned her body and prepared it for burial. Next I cleaned and spruced up my prayer room, as well as other spots in my home. I also disposed of the soiled linen.

Then, to help me deal with my grief, I lit up several scented candles, played soft music, and poured my heart out to God, mostly thanking Him for the gift of my pet... for all these 14 years.

Looking at Sammy's photos helped ease my pain. Posted some on FB, and sat down to do a blog post. 

Sammy was my connection to Ernie because she, together with Patches, was "our" dog. Having the two dogs after Ernie passed away seven years ago helped me feel connected to him. When Patches died in February last year, as I had mentioned in a previous post, it didn't hurt too much because I still had Sammy.

So with Sammy's leaving, it is another story.  

Thanks to my daughter Cathy, she requested the handyman who was working at their house yesterday to dig the grave for Sammy. I chose the patch of greenery next to Sammy's favorite spot in my garden, a concrete ledge near the iron grills fence where she would sleep, resting her head on the bottom part of the fence while I watered the plants each morning.

"Here Lies Sammy."

After burying Sammy's body with the help of my faithful housekeeper Daku, I ate a bit of breakfast.

Before long, it was time to go to the Family Foundations International ministry office for our weekly team lunch and devotional time. My dear friend Ruby gave me a tight hug when I came in; other friends gathered around me to hug me too. I had no appetite for lunch as I had just finished breakfast. We listened to a video teaching by Watchman Nee, followed by a time of interaction and sharing.

I got back home at around 3:30 p.m. As soon as I entered the front door, the reality that Sammy was gone hit me. The house was so still, and there was no pet dog to welcome me as I came in. 

Sammy was my constant home companion all this time after Ernie passed away seven years ago, and after my second son and his family moved into their own home last year. 

Yesterday reality hit me... that from now on I had to get used to not having Sammy's quiet and gentle presence in my life.

It is a turning point.

I sat down at my reading table and started to shed tears.

Then a text message on my cell phone came in. It was from my best friend Melanie, offering to pick me up so we could have coffee together, "to cheer me up."

Of course I said yes.

Truth be said, I had been wondering about my friendship with Melanie. She arrived back from the US last year to settle down here for good. My heart jumped at the thought of having my best friend back, after missing her since she left Bacolod City 12 years ago.

We all have different levels of friendship, and I have other close friends, but Melanie is my friend of friends. She is the one who knows me the most, and we have shared our heart openly with one another since we became good friends.

When she arrived last year, I knew she had a lot to deal with. Re-entry after being away twelve years, overseeing the construction of their new home, new church commitments, re-connecting with family, and many other things.

We hardly had time together. And I stayed away, giving her time and space to adjust. I didn't want to impose myself on her knowing there were many other urgent things on her plate. 

But a huge part of me missed the kind of close togetherness we used to share.

And so for her to ask me if she could pass by for me yesterday afternoon came as an unexpected surprise for me. Especially because I was heartbroken over Sammy's death.

And... when one is grieving, not just anybody can come and offer comfort. I know that only too well, from my personal experience with my own husband's passing away almost seven years ago.

I have other close friends. But for some reason, yesterday, the only company I longed for was Melanie's.

But I wasn't about to call her or ask her to come over. 

And I wasn't really expecting anyone to do anything for me.

Life is like that. My pet dog dies. Life goes on. Other people have their own private struggles that I know nothing about.

I was ready to spend the rest of the evening alone by myself. Water my garden, eat dinner, pray some in my prayer room, then go to sleep. After all, I was up at 2:50 a.m. and hadn't gotten any sleep yet since that time.

I can only attribute this act of kindness as being from my heavenly Father, who touched Melanie's heart to offer to take me out.

In a few minutes Melanie was at my front gate. I hopped into her car, and off we went!

On any other day it would not have been possible for her to do that, but it so happened that her schedule yesterday afternoon was flexible.

The best act of kindness for me is when it isn't forced or contrived... but just flows naturally.

And that is the Melanie I have always known. She is naturally thoughtful, always wanting to do kind things for people.

The past year it wasn't always possible for her only because of too many things going on all at the same time in her life.

But of all the days...

God my Abba Father knew how much I needed someone's kindness to bring a touch of healing to my broken heart.

We had panizza and garden salad at Delicioso... and for an hour and a half we chatted away just like old times...

That act of kindness and thoughtfulness was just what I needed...

I realized how good it felt to have my friend back!

When I got back home after that time together, I noticed that my heart was not as heavy as it had been earlier that day. A measure of healing had already happened, just because someone was sensitive enough to reach out to me at that particular time!