Thursday, May 2, 2013

Little gifts of love


On the consideration of creating a blog revolving around the idea of beauty, I hope I don't sound supercicial.
It could sound like it, yet I swear there is more to it than then 'look good' topic!
And this brings me to a little something I've had in mind...have you ever felt helpless when faced with someone else's hardhip? I have, so many times.
Truth is, many people face hardships much much worse than the little things I have to face. Still, two days ago, while I was at work, I received some news that are kind of 'not so good'. The kind that may be good, or...not. It wil probably be ok, still, I received a blow and I probably had it posted all over my face, in spite of my efforts.
A sweet workmate of mine came into my office and asked if I was ok. Of course I'm fine, said I ;)
Whereupon she came closer and gave me a quick hug and left quietly (actually, we don't hug in my country, we kiss, so she kissed me on the cheek).
And it left me speechless...with a rush of comfort. And it sent me back 10 years ago, when I too had the impulse to do something concrete for a workmate who had to face something hard. Something a thousand times harder than  my own worries, I must say. He lost beloved ones, and that was something I couldn't do anything about. That was the worse that can happen to a human being. And I couldn't tell him anything. What to say? So I had the sudden urge to bake him a cake. From the reaction I received, my foolish impulse seemed to be a good one!
True, words are beautiful. They are my drug. My daily dose of drug! I love them in books, blogs, songs, poems...ah, poems... But in the face of hardship, all those beautiful words seem to fall short of something. In the face of any hardship, any hug, smile, kiss on the cheek, brush of the hand on a shoulder, any little token of love, friendship or help seem to be best.
These concrete moves and gestures are for me things of beauty. That real beauty that shows when a friend does something genuine for you. It might be something a little foolish, unusual, tiny, a little helping deed in an ocean of helplessness. Yet it is much, it is big, it is a tiny drop of that most precious and powerful material of love. It brings relief, comfort, hope.
You know, very much like those little gifts kids give to their parents, a little heart drawn on a scrap of paper, a stranded lego that takes on so much meaning, because it is a GIFT.
It prompts me to write today that when you know someone who's unhappy, you can't change his or her life and destiny. But there is probably a little something that you can do. There is probably a little something I can do too.
And that's for me the true beauty of being human.

1 comment:

  1. beautiful....love can wrap itself
    in so many ways
    and all those ways
    are beauty:)
    -Jennifer

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