A HUDSONS AND A SMILE

 

Received grace gratiously.

To remember.

To learn.

To pass it on.

 

Was at mass this morning, seated at the last pew

COVID phelgm lingers on all these months

causing a few phelgmy coughs during mass

The lady in black seated in front of me

Turned around.  Looked.

Then fiddled at the handbag next to her

I expected her to pull up a mask

to give herself some protection

I would very much have done that if I were in her situation

Instead, she fished out a bottle of Hudsons

Turned around.  Smiled.

And offered it to me with a thumbs-up

The Hudsons did sooth my throat

Stopped my cough

It also taught me a valuable lesson

The grace she extended

Her non-judgmental response

Her offer to make things better for me

I would almost certainly not have responded the same way she did

But now that I have experienced grace

Grace I shall learn to give to others in the same situation

After mass I reached out to her
Thanked her for being so gracious
And affirmed her that she added a good measure of love to the world this morning

Thank you, Jesus
For this encounter

And for your prompting to recognise your grace in it