Proud

I talked to my mom yesterday. When she answered the phone she sounded happy to hear from me. She was busy with customers, but in the first minute of our conversation she said to me "Tera, you are a wonderful person. Your dad and I were talking last night about what a nice woman you are. You are just nice to everyone and we're so proud of you." My initial response was "Uh oh, what happened? Is there something coming that I don't want to hear?" But when she assured me that she just wanted to tell me that, my heart was uplifted and I felt so free. I felt proud of myself, proud of her and my dad for helping make me into the woman that I am, this person that she considers nice and giving and loving. I felt the presence of God in my heart and I couldn't help but wipe away a tear that fell from my eyes. I, too, am proud of me. I mean, I have plenty of areas which could use improvement, but I am a person I would want to be friends with, someone that can be counted on and looked to for love, someone with a giving heart and a fast smile, someone that can keep secret yet shout out praises. In that one sentence, my mom gave me more pride than I've allowed myself for many years. She helped me see thrumy anger and fears, my disappointments and sadness, reminding me that I am a good person.

What is so important in life is treating people with respect. If you give respect, it is returned over and over again in so many ways. I truly believe that everyone deserves to be cared about, loved, and given their due respect. People's lives are all wound round like a ball of string, with so many loops and knots, and who am I to judge. I don't know where that string has been, where those knots came from or where that last meter will end up. All I can do is use my smile or hello to help unwind some of those looser knots, or in those tight situations lend a listening ear or do a good deed. Respecting people is what gives you yourself a more rounded ball.

As my mom and I continued our conversation, her excitedly telling me about her recent visit to my brother, his wife,a nd their new baby, I don't think she had a clue what she had given me. Words can cut like a knife, or they can beam like the sun. In this case, I was beaming. I hope that I can bring someone else that same sunshine today, because afterall, I am nice, I am good, and I can pass that onto anyone that I meet paths with today.