As I drive into my neighborhood, I try to wipe my tears away. If my tears don't give my emotional state away, my puffy eyes will. I look around the familiar road, praying I don't see anyone.
After saying a tearful goodbye to my husband for the foreseeable future, I am in my head. My mind is swirling with thoughts, questions, and fears. My son is uncontrollably sobbing in the back seat.
The urge to pull it together for my son's sake overtakes my own emotions. He needs to be held and reminded that although our hearts are hurting, we will ultimately be okay.
It's an odd feeling desiring comfort yet not wanting to be seen by anyone for fear of being a blubbering mess. As I help my son out of the car, I notice something on my porch.
One white hydrangea sits on my porch table. As I walk up to it, I notice no card. No one is around. I look back at the beautiful flower, and the tears start falling.
This is more than just a beautiful flower or a kind gesture. This white hydrangea means everything. It means I see you. It means I understand the heartbreak that you are experiencing. It means I can relate to the tears you are crying, and when you are ready, I will be here for you.
I want to encourage you to truly see those around you with a compassionate heart. A small act of kindness can significantly impact someone's life. As I reflect on this story, the emotions flood back. I may never know who blessed me that day, but I will never forget how that one hydrangea made me feel.
On a day when my heart was breaking, you recognized my pain and silently said, I am here for you. You are not in this alone.
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