#177 Exercise for the Heart

"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." --Albert Schweitzer

Saturday night we were at the lovely wedding of Kelsey and Tim when I reconnected with Kathy, the bride's aunt.  In our conversation she mentioned that she reads my blog every day.  Of course I love to hear that people are actually reading the nonsense I write but she was sincere about being a faithful reader and went on to tell me that she has decided to start a support group in her area for women who are recently widowed.  Since she has gone through the difficult time herself she feels she can offer them guidance on how to maneuver through the emotional trauma of losing a loved one.

I congratulated her on "stepping up to the plate" and passing her knowledge on to others who find themselves in a similar situation.  She kindly responded that I was the impetus for getting her to pay it forward and reach out to grieving women in her city.

What a wonderful compliment and I thanked her but I am confident that she would have found the inspiration to tackle this goal on her own.  Despite the dire world news I truly believe we are all compassionate human beings and are willing to lend a hand especially if an unfortunate circumstance had befallen us.  I am proud that Kathy is taking charge not only for herself but for everyone else she will touch to make their lives more endurable as they travel through a difficult time.

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.” ― John Holmes

We should all be inspired by Kathy's quest so do yourself a favor by giving someone a boost to help them make it through one more day. They will be filled with gratitude... and so will your heart.

Thanks for reading # 177 of 7777.