Aldon was just being friendly, as he always was as his neighbors passed on their daily walk. It had been nine years of cordial interactions with the couple whose faces he recognized but names he didn’t know. But this time only the wife walked by, so he jokingly screamed out “where’s the better half”? He was certainly not expecting her response. Her better half was no longer here. And as a devastated widow, part of her healing was trying to do the things they did together, one of which was taking that daily walk. The woman could have just smiled and kept walking, not wanting to share her burdens with someone she really didn’t know. And Aldon could have just shouted “I’m sorry” and let her keep walking. But fortunately she reached out, and he responded in kind. And what resulted was a hug that bound two strangers like family. And the sharing of this reminds us that we all have acquaintances in our lives, people we see consistently, be it checking out at the grocery store, the post office or anywhere else in our daily routines. They may not be friends, but they are people we interact with. And taking that time to check in with them, to see how they are doing, and to offer that hug when needed, can give someone an incredible amount of comfort. It is easy to wonder if people even notice us or care. So let’s make sure to take the time to make sure that is no longer a question…
