In church today I will be talking with the young women about family relationships and how they can bless their parents and brothers and sisters lives. It made me think back to when I was young, and what a blessing my little sisters were to me.
I was a shy child, and not particularly popular or outgoing as a teenager. My birthday was in the middle of the summer when everyone was gone on family vacations. During the rest of the year other kids had birthday parties on their birthdays, but since no one was around on my birthday I always ended up just celebrating with my family. It didn't really bother me that much, I was more comfortable with them than with anyone else, but sometimes when my birthday was approaching it made me feel left out that I never had a party.
I must have complained aloud to my little sisters the summer I turned 18. By that time I'd way outgrown birthday parties, but I remember feeling sorry for myself, and wishing someone would someday throw me a surprise party.
My birthday fell in the middle of the week that year, and it was a hot, boring day. I think I volunteer to run errands for mom, or perhaps she asked me to go, so I drove over to the grocery store to pick up a few things early in the afternoon. I can still remember driving home, parking the car in the carport, getting the bags out, and walking to the back door. As I opened the door I heard giggles and laughter, then suddenly half a dozen little voices shouting, "Surprise! Surprise!"
My little sisters had invited their neighborhood friends to come over and give me a surprise birthday party! I was so touched. Perhaps it was a little bit lame, after all I was 18 and they were little kids, but it was so sweet of them, and we had such fun. It made me feel good that someone understood how left out I felt, and that they wanted to make me happy. I'll never forget their concern, or their love.
No comments:
Post a Comment