Thought for the Day 2/21/2025

 Friday Tale - Kindness 

Once my husband hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT). He was near the end of his three-day, 45-mile journey when a day hiker caught up to him. They chatted, as people on the trail do, and the other hiker went on. In the final mile of my husband's hike, he met the same hiker again going the other way.

    The hiker smiled in recognition, and handed him, of all things, a Snickers bar. "I thought you'd like it," the guy said. My husband said he could have cried.

     Wet, tired, aching, and yes, very hungry, that little gesture was exactly what he needed to make the final push. So no, an act of kindness is never "too little." It's never unimportant.

    The best part is, my husband says that's the way of things for hikers on the AT — they look after each other, whether it's politely checking in with a woman hiking alone or offering help in a tricky situation. There's a solidarity there that we can emulate no matter where we are.

     On the trail, you're encouraged to "hike your own hike," just as we forge our own paths in life. That doesn't mean we don't need or deserve help from others. In fact, it's the very opposite.

      Go your own way, help others do the same, and everyone gets what they need.

~ A. J. Willingham

 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
forgiving one another,
as God in Christ forgave you.
~ Ephesians 4:32