Gifts of Ourselves

Nothing gives me a thrill more than to be surprised by a random act of kindness. It doesn't matter whether I'm the one doing it or I'm on the receiving end. Both feel good.

Last month, I offered to send some seeds from my garden to a fellow blogger friend - Kate, from Kate Smudges in Earth, Paint and Life. She was particularly interested in my yellow scabiosa seeds. The day before I mailed them out to her, Romie and I had checked out the clearance section at our local Walmart.

There were baskets of odds and ends of skeins of yarn greatly reduced and a royal blue confetti yarn caught my eye. I don't knit or crochet, so it wasn't likely that I would use it for anything, but I remembered those lovely scarves that Kate had made. I didn't know if three skeins would be enough to make anything, but it was just so pretty and so inexpensive, I knew I had to buy it and send it to her along with the seeds. She would be able to create something with it, I was certain.

Well.

Imagine my surprise when I went to the mailbox yesterday and found a package from Kate. That stinker knitted the yarn I'd sent her into a scarf and sent it back to me! That sure wasn't what I'd expected her to do with it. The scarf part, maybe, but the sending it to me part - no. What a truly thoughtful thing for her to do.

Kate, thank you for giving a part of yourself to me. The scarf is beautiful, but your generous heart is even more so. I will remember what you did for me every time I wear it. I like too, that a part of my garden will be growing in yours, representing the sharing of ideas, hearts, and friendship across the miles that blogging and the love of gardening has brought to our lives.