09 Dec The Card
Every day now, the girls excitedly check our mailbox for holiday cards. They count the envelopes, exclaim the number of cards that arrived, then tear them open. They get out a tape dispenser and carefully line the cards along the side of our kitchen counter. They spend lots of time looking at the pictures and reading the messages.
I was admiring our most recent additions to the display when I came across a photo of people I didn’t recognize. I squinted and looked closer, still not recognizing them. I looked through the trash to find the envelope and realized the card was sent to our address but intended for the previous owner of our home.
The photo was of a family on a beach. The inside of the card read, “We are overjoyed with the engagement of Mike and Alexandra!” A picture of the newly engaged couple was included.
“I love this family,” Ella said, looking joyfully at the card.
“We don’t even know them, Ella!” I exclaimed with a laugh.
The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that she was right. We are awfully good at deciding we don’t like people for the smallest of reasons, or even with no reason at all, so why can’t we love them for the smallest of reasons?
…or even with no reason at all?