Happy Birthday Mrs. C.

Happy birthday, Mrs Cooper.  Today has always been our day.  When I was about eight years old, I was invited to be part of the "Pal" program at the church of my childhood.  Women of the church were paired up with young girls to be their "pals" (today we'd say mentors).  Mrs.  C. never had children (due to her own health issues), and I became her adopted daughter.  My family life was extremely chaotic, and so I was blessed to have her as my spiritual mother.

I loved to walk the five blocks to her home, where we'd sit at her kitchen table looking out at the garden and talking about everything!  We'd sip tea and eat cookies, sometimes we'd read the Bible together, and she would help me take my questions about life and look for God's presence in them.

She had the patience of a saint, for I was not an easy child.  Life had already taught me some bitter lessons, and I wasn't afraid to ask some hard questions.  She never flinched (like my Pastor did), nor did she feel the need to defend God.  She had enough respect for God to let God fend for Godself while she held open a safe space for me to just be me.  In many ways, she saved my life.  And she certainly played a key role in nurturing my vocation (which put her out on a very high limb as the ordination of women was anathema in this congregation).

Both of our birthdays are in May, so she introduced me to Lily of the Valleys and called them "our flowers."  She always had a healthy patch growing in her wondrous garden, and it was such a treat to find a small bouquet of them waiting for me on my birthday.

I have planted our flowers everyplace I have lived, including Boise.  Today I went out and picked a pip and just allowed myself to inhale its sweet fragrance, and wished Mrs. C a happy birthday.

Never underestimate your ability to positively influence the life of another.  All it takes is a willingness to open yourself to love - and to be present with the other person.  I am here today because Mrs. C. was willing to do that for me.

Are you willing to do that for someone?  Are you willing to perhaps help to save a life - just by being you?

Happy Birthday, Mrs. C.  And thank you - just for being you.
Much love,
Kim







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