Nancy

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, the next best time is right now.  My husband uses this analogy all the time.  I have always accepted it in theory.

Right now, I am watching it play out.  One of my dearest friends, a sister really, introduced me to Nancy.  A beautiful, Italian woman who showed up in my kitchen with a big pot of Pasta Fagioli soup after I had my hysterectomy.  Now, I understand why it was important for her to feed me after that surgery…I couldn’t have any more children.  I had one, a miracle child, but it was now official that there would be no more to come.  To her, that would be devastating, because her two girls were her life.

Nancy was a single mom who raised two incredible girls.  One, the oldest, has so much love to give that she actually found herself in Russia, navigating the tough culture and language, to bring home a boy to cherish.  Her story is quite remarkable.  And of course, the other, my buddy – would literally give you the shirt off her back.  I have not been through a trial one since I have met her that she wasn’t there before I even knew I needed her.  Seriously, once she even saved my life.

Nancy planted trees.  She has impacted more people than she is even aware of and the dominoes of her kindness and spunk are still falling.  The most important tree she will soon see – the tree of life.

Nancy was not perfect, just as we are not perfect.  But just like Nancy, we can decide to plant a tree of goodness, kindness and love in the soil around us or we can just decide to enjoy the landscape provided.

Now, these two sweet girls are watching Nancy (Mom) drift off as she is preparing to leave this world.  They are watching a mom who pulled them out of school when she had a day off to take them to the movies.  They are watching a mom who would have moved mountains to keep them safe.

What kind of trees are you planting?  And if you aren’t, what kind would you like to start planting today?