Dear Reader:
Yesterday Kaitlyn sent me today’s story and as fate would have it… I was talking myself into making more spaghetti sauce to have this weekend to give away… but all the decorating had zapped my energy and I really was struggling with it.
But as soon as I read the story I jumped up and started cooking again… adding back on to ” Giving Tuesday ” depletions … the sauce. Read the story… and you will see why…
” Make The Chili”-( author-?)
A good friend of mine unexpectedly lost his wife. A couple months later, we were golfing together, chatting about nothing. He asked what my dinner plans were and I told him ‘wifey’ wanted my homemade chili and cornbread, but I didn’t feel like stopping at the store.
We golfed a few more minutes… when he quietly said, ” Make the chili.”
It took me a few minutes to realize we were no longer talking about dinner. It was about going out of your way to do something for someone you love because at any moment, they could unexpectedly be taken from you.
So today… I’m sharing with you that wisdom handed to me by my dear friend, that I’ve thought of many times since that day.
Next time someone you love wants you to go for a walk or watch a football game or just put your phone down and give them your undivided attention, just do it – “MAKE YOUR CHILI!”
So until tomorrow…My spaghetti/ ” chili” is simmering now with all the added ingredients… it is such a good feeling isn’t it… when we know we have something we can offer to others… along with our undivided attention.
Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh
This story, especially touched me because December 3 is my brother David’s birthday . He passed from acute Marfan’s Syndrome disease when he was only twenty-one- it affects the connective tissue resulting, in David’s case, with an aneurysm of the heart.
My brother, in spite of his many physical challenges had the kindest heart of anyone I have ever known. From childhood he seemed to sense that he was not his body ” armor” and daily followed the star in his own heart home.
Game Day has arrived again… the last one… hoping the Clemson team can ” follow their star” to victory tonight… would be a great early Christmas gift for the team! ❤️ my Tigers!
Vickie sprayed magnolia leaves gold and had some left over that she brought today-really makes the mantle pop!
ichaseferalcats
John Turner
Legally Ohm
Becky Dingle
You reminded me to call all my friends that I don’t see often, near and far! I learned the lesson in the story a long while back, except it happened because of my Mother, and not a friend. I was a young man, working at Bosch as an Engineer, busy work and challenging as well. And of course with Children, 2 of them in grammar school. My wife worked at the Shipyard as a Technician in the non-nuclear testing department. As many Shipyard workers O.T. was common, though her work was with testing documentation so for her not so much, luckily! I also had to travel working for Bosch, a lot! Germany, Switzerland and France once, almost had to go to Australia but that changed close to time to leave, close enough so I had started my traveling needs bag collection. So, you get the Picture, very busy times and hard to make a lot of free time. I was the last child, the baby, though I never liked that description once I was Junior in High School. My Parents were older than most of my Friends Parents were. Out of nowhere I get a call from my Father, he was a bit upset and that was unusual. My Father being a Veteran of 2 1/2 wars. WWII, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, though as a Reserve type Status, my Father wasn’t one to show emotions often. The call was to tell me that my Mother had a very bad stroke and that I should come to the Hospital quickly, leave work and come. Well my Mother didn’t survive that stroke, in fact she was unconscious when I arrived and never really gained full consciousness. My Mother, did open her eyes long enough to recognize me and gave me what looked like a struggled smile and said my name. My Mother being the strong Woman she was hung on to life long enough for My Sisters and their Spouses to arrive passing on to be the Lord that night. I’ll shorten my story, that seem to be a problem with me, I have to get the details, all of them in the story. I immediately following her funeral realized how little time I had spent with her for the last years of her life and some other regrets as I am sure so many others do. I was a Christian and both of my Parents were also, and I knew this wasn’t the end or the last time I would be with her but still She was my Mother and that still hurts. But, I vowed I wouldn’t let times when I could to spend time with my Father, my Sisters, and my Friends. Sometimes you let too much time go by without seeing, and or making some calls to and with Family and Friends. I lost my Father too many years later and I didn’t have that feeling when he passed, I stuck to my vow to stay in touch with all my Family and Friends. You know that’s not as easy as it might seem, but I make that chili as much as I can!
Love your insightful and unique comments so much… you are an expressive storyteller Johnny! Keep commenting… besides me… the readers enjoy it!
Sent from my iPhone
❤ this story…so true. Happy Heavenly Birthday to David.
You sent me the B&B information your son and daughter in law own in Mount Pleasant but I be lost it would you please send to me again. Beth Lee bethmlee55@gmail.com