When I first moved into our house I truly thought neighbors would greet us with casseroles.  I’d always had this vision of what people who lived in houses were like.  My father never met a stranger and my mother never really focused on anyone outside of our little family.  I suppose I am a mix of both.  Whenever we are out walking we always smile and wave at whomever passes; car, bicyclist, and runner alike.  It is so nice when someone smiles and waves back.  When Maris was born the stork came — literally.  I had a yard sign put out with a huge stork holding a baby girl wrapped in a pink blanket bearing her name.  In a week or so they came for the stork but we got to keep his delivery.  It has hung in her room ever since.  I remember being so touched because this woman a couple of streets over saw the sign and hand-crocheted the most exquisite, delicate little pink hat and booties for her that I had ever seen.  A woman who had hoped for children of her own but never had any took the time to make something so precious for someone whom she had never even met.  I wrote a thank you note telling her we would cherish them always.  The other night we were at our favorite local Tex-Mex restaurant and to my delight we saw them.  She could not believe our baby was now four and I was so proud Maris said hello and thanked her for the gifts once I’d told her what our neighbor did for her when she was tiny.  We had a great talk with the lady and her husband who are both retired and reluctantly went to our table.  After dinner we asked for the check and were shocked to find out it had already been paid by our neighbors!  It was such a wonderful thing to do, and from people we like so much but never see.  I intend to reciprocate and look forward to either having them over for dinner or to taking them out soon.

“Each day holds a surprise.  But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us.  Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy.  It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.” ~ Dutch Clergyman Henri Nouwen

I realize I have spent too much time chasing after fantom casseroles when I could have been enjoying much better Tex-Mex all along.