Part of my bedtime ritual is reading fluff. I’m looking for totally uninspiring reading that is as mindless as possible. I have a hard time sleeping, so being inspired is the last thing I seek before bedtime. Phase one of my fluff nighttime readings is People Magazine. I read it slowly and do not allow any speed reading.
Last night People Magazine failed me! How dare they inspire me!? In a (new) section of the magazine they asked celebrities, “What’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to you?”
Countless celebrities answered with something that their mother had said to them. That got me thinking. (Oh no! Not at bedtime.) And indeed it was something that my mother had said to me that is my answer. In fact, it was two things she said.
My mother was only awake for short periods of time on the last day she was conscious. It was just enough time to pour out precious words as she slipped into days of silence before passing away.
In one of those moments she said, “I know you are going to be okay Kayla.” She nodded slowly, but enthusiastically, and fell back asleep. She was a worrier and knowing that she had that peace before she died was priceless to me. And in the days when I don’t feel okay, I can cling to her peace and those words.
Later she woke again. She looked up at me tending to her and said, “Having you here to take care of me has been like having my mom here with me. You remind me of her.”
My mother loved and missed her mom all the years of my life. She often told me I reminded her of her mother. I never knew my grandmother, except through my mother’s stories, but I knew she lived to serve. She was a nurse and a natural caregiver. My love language is acts of service and I believe that my grandmother’s love language as well.
To have my mother tell me that she felt like her beloved mother was there caring for her, through me, was the most beautiful compliment she could ever pay me. And my mother had been generous with compliments.
That got me thinking further. What’s the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to you? Even better yet – how can you beautifully compliment those around you? How can you fill the tank of your loved ones?
Speak words that heal, words that sustain, and words that empower.
Related: If Words Made a Visible Difference
Desiree Doucet says
This is a beautiful post, but you made me cry – grrrr! My moment was likely stuff that my mom said to me while taking care of her after major surgery last fall. She told me how thankful she was to have me there. It’s been said that caring for a loved one is an honor and I didn’t really understand that until I was in that place. It IS an honor to care for someone in need. Keep that in mind when YOU need help – let it be someone’s honor to help and to serve you, too.
Kayla says
If it makes you feel better it made me cry to write it and even again as I formatted it in WordPress.
It is such an honor to care for someone in need. What a GREAT reminder that we need to allow others that honor in our lives.
Roberta Perry says
For me it was when both my parents looked at me with such love as they walked me down the aisle. They said, “he’s really a great guy, but he is even extra special because he loves you the way you deserve to be loved”.
Kayla says
Oh that is beautiful!
Mihaela Echols says
What a beautiful story. The most beautiful thing to me….God’s faithfulness.
Kayla says
Amen!
Stacey says
When we were teenagers, a couple of years before he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away my older brother and I were at a church camp together. During the alter time he hugged me and said, ” Stacey the man that gets you gets a treasure. ”
Probably the most beautiful thing ever said to me.
Kayla says
Wow – that is so beautiful and special.
Robbi says
This was beautiful. I love your challenge, how can we beautifully compliment those around us and fill their love tanks? Great stuff. Thanks for sharing!
Kayla says
Thank you!
Wallace says
What a beautiful and touching story. Thank you for sharing. I love the strategy of “mindless” reading to fall asleep too!
Kayla says
Mindless reading is essential for me to fall asleep!
Amy says
Your challenge on how to beautifully compliment those around us has got me thinking. It’s so easy for us to tear down, but we often fail to build others back up and encourage. I want to spend more time building others up and encouraging them!
Kayla says
It is SO easy to tear down. It takes conscious effort built people up.
Heather DeGeorge says
I think the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me was that when we were in high school, I somehow very clearly articulated to her that she was very wonderful or beautiful in some way. I was a relatively popular and outspoken girl and this was a relatively quite girl. I had always admired her and I let her know it at the time.
I had absolutely no recollection of the event, but her telling me–now, as adults–how it made her feel back then… I was so humbled that she even remembered and so honored that she felt compelled to share it with me.