Little Pink Socks

It’s a small, simple thing, really.

Soft, pink footies, gentle to the touch, soothing to the feet after a long day.

We were in a store a few days ago, and David saw the aloe-infused socks. Taking a pair off the hook, he looked over at me. I’ve been working on some “self-improvement projects” lately and I think he wanted to either encourage me or maybe reward me. But after he felt how soft the socks were, he asked me which color I wanted. I selected the pink ones; he placed them in his shopping cart.


Like most folks, the economy has squeezed us tightly in the past couple of years. When we shop, we tend to focus on NEEDS rather than indulging in our WANTS. I didn't need the little pink socks, even though I knew they'd feel heavenly on my feet. But David NEEDED to give them to me -- a tangible way to "appreciate and reciprocate" in our relationship. This has always been our marriage motto -- to let each other know in many ways how much we value each other.

So the little pink socks have been waiting for me to slip them on. I’ve saved them until tonight to put them on. We were out of town a couple of days, and I just wanted to be back in my at-home routine. Somehow, that makes them a bit more special, a bit more of a treasure.

Like I said, it’s a small, simple gift. But the fact that he saw them, felt how soft they were, and wanted me to have a pair is a huge gift!

Little gifts, small gestures for no apparent reason, a smile at just the right time, a dance in the kitchen to a sweet favorite song, a word of encouragement, a bouquet of flowers, a simple prayer of thanksgiving – these are just a few ways we “appreciate and reciprocate” each other. It makes a world of difference on a hard day to be gently acknowledged in some small way.

Like receiving a pair of soft pink socks.

Think I’ll go put them on right now!

Blessings, y’all!

Comments

Anonymous said…
It's the little things that make a difference!
February 28, 2010 at 9:46 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Day Time Stopped

Image
February 17, 2020 was the Day Time Stopped. I've struggled for words ever since.  The morning was foggy.   So foggy I couldn't see across the cove. So foggy that Facebook friends were commenting that it was the thickest fog they'd ever seen. Instead of "walking on little cat feet," this fog landed like thick concrete. The phone rang. My sister said there had been a car accident. Our parents were injured. We raced to the hospital in Charlotte. Our daddy died that evening. Our mama died two days later, on the 19th. Time Stopped. Nothing will ever be the same again. ***** The first time we walked back into their house, everything was waiting. The chicken waited to welcome them back home. Daddy's lift chair waited for him to come sit back down. Mama's books and crossword puzzles waited for her to pick them back up. Breakfast dishes waited to be washed. Mama's earrings and "Charlie" perfume waited to be worn. Daddy's Tyson cap waited to be put...
Read more

Rejection, plain & simple

When I was a kid I was NOT athletic in the least. I was a bookworm, loved to read anything I could get my hands on. When we had spelling bees, I usually won. Classroom games were fun for me. But out on the playground was a totally different story. I absolutely hated it when the teacher would pick two team captains and have them choose their team members because I was ALWAYS the last one chosen. In fact, there were times when the “captains” would actually argue over who would HAVE to have me on their team. I’d feel my face burning flaming red with the humiliation, and I’d hang my head and hope nobody would see the tears in my eyes because then they’d taunt me even more about being a cry-baby. My first big dose of rejection – and somehow that feeling never quite goes completely away. With every form of rejection throughout my life, I still can feel that hurt, deep in the pit of my stomach. Recently I’ve had to slog through what seems like an endless pit of cr...
Read more

Love Ya Legacy

I didn’t know Kelly very well. But she made a significant impression on me the first time we ever met. I was visiting at David’s church, for the first time. I knew NOBODY, other than David, and felt more than a little bit self-conscious since I was the “stranger in their midst.” But after the service was over, there stood Kelly. She had reddish hair, and glasses, and a huge smile on her face. “Hey there, my name’s Kelly, and we’re SO glad you are here today!” Then, with a big hug, she added, “Love ya!” And then she bounced down the sidewalk, in search of her husband Kirk. As David and I continued to see each other, I’d attend services at the Winnsboro Church of the Nazarene about every other Sunday. And every Sunday, without fail, Kelly would speak to me, hug me, and before we parted she’d say, “Love ya!” She truly made me feel good. I began to look for her smiling face at church on Sunday mornings. Aside from small chit-chats at church, I only got to really talk with Kelly ...
Read more