Throughout this past week, I have experienced great acts of love and kindness. This past Saturday, my brother was confirmed. I was so incredibly proud of him as we walked toward to bishop and cannot believe how much he has grown throughout the years. We had a ton of family come in to celebrate and it was so great being able to spend time with everyone. On Sunday, we celebrated my aunt’s and my birthday. In our family, we have a lot of April birthdays. My aunt is the 13th, I am the 14th, and my cousins are the 15th and 18th. When we were younger, we used to go up to NY around Easter and we would celebrate the April birthdays altogether. As we got older and started heading off to college, we haven’t been able to carry on the tradition as much. But this weekend, we brought back the old tradition. My aunt and I walked into a beautifully decorated house and shared a big birthday cake together. We took turns opening presents and loved every minute of it. It was so great being able to celebrate and spend time with the family.
On Tuesday, our small group met at our small group leader’s house. They fed us a delicious dinner: hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, baked beans, French fries, and fruit. It was so awesome sharing in fellowship with some truly amazing people. As we finished dinner, the lights turned off and I saw my small group leader walk in with a funfetti cake decked out with lit candles. As everyone sang to me, she placed the cake in front of me, kissed my head, and whispered, “Happy Birthday!” to me. Truth be told, I was actually trying not to cry. It was such a beautiful moment and a great gesture of love. I am so grateful for everything my entire small group has done for me, not only that night, but throughout the entire semester.
Last night, after evening prayer, a group of CCMers went to ihop for a late night breakfast. After we ate our dinners, I heard clapping. The waiters and waitresses all surrounded me with a huge ice cream sundae and serenaded me. While most people get embarrassed, I think it is such an awesome gesture. And it really made my birthday that much more special.
Starting at midnight, I received texts and facebook messages. While this doesn’t seem like a big deal, to me it speaks volumes. These small acts of kindness spoke great volumes of love. I get so excited opening my inbox and seeing that I have 46 new messages waiting for me. Who doesn’t love getting mail? So thank you, thank you!
This morning, when I came into work, I began my usual routine of looking in the assistant’s tray to see if there were any assignments. Among a few papers, there was a card from one of the other girls I work with. It was such a cool and unexpected moment. And I felt loved. She took a few moments out of her day to make me feel loved. And that speaks volumes.
During our education classes, I volunteered to help with a SMARTboard presentation. As I walked up, Elizabeth shouted, “It’s her birthday!” and the whole class started singing to me. Another small act of kindness, another great expression of love. Elizabeth then gave me a beautiful, heartfelt card that made me feel so special. Thank you, Elizabeth. You truly are a wonderful friend.
If you know me, you also know that I have not had the best roommate situation lately. We just haven’t gotten along and what started out as a “best friendship” has turned into a “let’s try and be cordial” relationship. But, tonight, they are making me a cake and want to celebrate with me. They decorated the kitchen and are making an effort. I am hoping that this act of kindness can be a step in the right direction for us. And so, I want to extend a sincere thank you to the roommates.
Small acts of kindness speak great volumes of love. And to everyone, I am so thankful. Thank you for helping to make my birthday special. Thank you for loving me. I love you all so much.
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