Reminders of Home

One day there was a girl named Kathleen. She had a really, really crappy day at work. Ya know, kids swearing at one another, other kids making fun of other kids and telling them that their face looked like moldy macaroni (why are kids so mean???), other kids saying, "I hate this school," while glaring at Kathleen. Oh, and there's always the classic kid that decides to bring in a bag of dirt that they collected during recess. And then, of course, they decide to spill it all over the class carpet. Again, classic. Really brightens the day... not.

Then she got home after a 12 hour day. There was a package from her dad on the stoop. In it was the Shel Silverstein book, "Every Thing On It," a compilation of some of his best poems. She opened to the first poem and smiled for probably the first time that day. The poem was called "Years From Now"

YEARS FROM NOW

Although I cannot see your face

As you flip through these poems awhile,

Somewhere from some far-off place

I hear you laughing -- and I smile.

The gift was accompanied by the perfectest (not a word) card. "Thinking of you. Believing in you. Here for you."

The next day this girl named Kathleen had a another crappy day. Super crappy. Supa, supa crappy.

Then she got home after a 12 hour day. There was a package at the front door from her oldest brother Matthew and his fiance Lindsey. In it was Kathleen's favorite dessert in the whole world - Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. A happy girl and a happy stomach.

The cheesecake was sent all the way from North Carolina. And the dessert was prompted by Matthew reading an earlier blog post in which I said I was craving the cheesecake. So, so thoughtful.

The cheesecake was accompanied by this note...

I guess it's true. Family is all that matters.