Giving Surprises

My friend gave me two breast cancer survival bracelets to share as I chose. The easy way out was to pass them to two breast cancer survivors in the cancer center. Neither was very excited over the gift. One grudgingly took a bracelet, while the other strongly refused.

I was stuck with one bracelet, but I still wanted to honour my friend’s generosity. Some weeks later, I ended up at the local drugstore checkout. I noticed the clerk’s odd tattoo. She told me that it was her way of honouring her beloved Grandma, who had just died of breast cancer. Tears came to her eyes.

We didn’t talk long. It was Covid lockdown and a great line of people stood behind me.

I fetched that little boxed bracelet out of my car and rejoined the line, where I again stood for a very long time. She saw me there and frowned; having decided that I had a complaint.

And then I gave her the bracelet. Tears again. Comments like “No one has ever done anything like this for me before.” 

Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.

(John 16:20, NIV)

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