On Being the Good

Today was a loooooong day. And so I wound it up by going through the ChickfilA drive-thru and then sitting in the parking lot, eating a long overdue dinner. I was perusing fb while I ate and saw the absolute sweetest story, which I am posting below.

After I read that, I cried the entire way home thinking about her at that game (which is odd since I don't even KNOW HER). As I pulled into my driveway, I realized that I'm not crying about just her. I'm crying about all the people who keep going out of their way to send donations for the auction. I'm crying about all the people who are getting donations from THEIR friends. I'm crying about the people I don't even know who are sending money. I'm crying about the people I do know who are praying and loving and giving and the people I seldom interact with other than on social media who send me fb messages because they saw a bed on a yard sale page and remember I needed one. I'm crying about a pastor and his wife who don't just minister in front of, they minister TO and WITH. I'm crying about former students and current students who either responded to my request with great enthusiasm and goods or who approached me in the sweetest way and asked if they could donate a handmade piece of art. I'm crying about the sweet retired teacher friend who contacted me today and told me she wants to spend a day next week going around town to restaurants and businesses, collecting donations for the auction. I'm crying about the days my mom has spent varnishing our swings so I don't have to and who brought a delicious cake to my book club last night. I'm crying about the friends and family who have volunteered to work any and every event and the friend who has made this auction her personal mission. I'm crying about the 2nd grade daughter of a friend who sold something from her room to raise money for our family. I'm crying about the many conversations I have been part of where people have shared their heart's prayer for our new Davises. I'm crying about the priest I heard today who said, "When God calls, you answer." I'm crying about a million other ways I am seeing-- in the middle of a season that seems so vile in this country-- I am seeing people BE THE GOOD.  And I am crying because I am so, so grateful that Good is always going to triumph over evil. Today on earth or in eternity, Good will always win.