Last Wednesday, before Thanksgiving, I was standing in line at Barnes and Noble. As I patiently waited for the next cashier to become available along with a handful of other customers, I heard a cell phone begin ringing right behind me. Although I did not turn around, I surmised that the young lady who answered the phone was in her early thirties. All I heard her say was, “Hi, Mom!”

That call jarred me out of my mindless thinking. I didn’t hear the girl say another word. Perhaps she was just listening. But all I could think about was that was a call that I can never receive. Both of my parents have passed. So I can’t pray for that call. I cant pay for that call. No miracle can make that call happen for me. As I tried to contain my tears, I thought, “I wonder if she knows how priceless that call is?” And I literally mean priceless.

Don’t be sad for me, I had my run with my mom and my dad. Would I love one more call? Of course! But if your mom or dad are still with you, I want to make sure to remind you that their time here is brief and fleeting. If you hadn’t thought about them as cherished and priceless, now’s the time—before you’re standing in Barnes and Noble like me, trying not to weep. XO.

With Gratitude,
Beth