A Treasure

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A first post on this blog... oh what to say.

Well today in my mind is this little angel that I treasure:


© Zaroga Goff

Years ago we lived in Colonial Heights Virginia and I worked in Petersburg. The friend who gave me the angel was a man in his mid seventies, almost twice my age, who was recently widowed. He came into the store I worked at quite a bit. We spent many of my 30 minute lunch breaks walking and talking.

He sent this angel to me after we moved back to Georgia in 1991. In the letter that accompanied the angel he thanked me for taking time to be with him. He told me in the letter that he had considered suicide and that our walks had gotten him past that thought.

In my walks with this man I only thought about how much I was enjoying the stories he was telling me of the life he and he wife had led together. It was a surprise for me to read how I had made a change in his life just by walking with him and listening.

We never know how we will touch another's life by a small act such as listening.
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Deep listening is miraculous for both listener and speaker. When someone receives us with open-hearted, non-judging, intensely interested listening, our spirits expand. -- Sue Patton Thoele
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