a happy surprise

I’ve got a short + sweet post today. Something that brought me heaps of joy. Heaps, I tell you!

Pulling out of the driveway yesterday morning, I saw a package on our front steps, so I put the car in park and ran over to pick it up. I grabbed the bundle — and did a double-take. There, tucked in the shade of my geraniums, were two cheery, painted rocks!

Just the night before I was out deadheading those plants. No painted rocks in sight. So whoever the giver, they must’ve come by early Wednesday morning.

Living on Main Street, we have lots of passersby. So I’m used to picking up wrappers and dirty napkins a few times a week…we don’t mind that kids cross the lawn on their bikes sometimes…we see the same runners and walkers and dogs in the morning and evening. Sure, we hear the occasional crazy-loud muffler, car radios, sirens, some language once in a while. We also have an easy seat for parades and a 30-second walk to the store.

But we’ve never, ever had a secret surprise on our stoop!

It’s the kind of thing I did on my street as a kid. And it reminds me of May Day when my kids were all small. I get it, now, what those neighbors meant when they told me how much the hand-tied bundles meant to them.

It makes me bubble over. The rocks. My surprise and delight in finding them. Wondering how someone chose to plant them here. And do they know what a gift they gave?

Last evening, when I opened the door to get a cross-breeze on the porch during dinner, this avocado landed on the floor! (All in one piece, thankfully.) (It was carefully tucked in our door handle; I must have missed it the first time.) It was like I’d won the lotto twice in one day.

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My point? You never know how big of a punch someone will get from your small act of kindness. I’m smitten with this happy surprise, and I send my thank-you out to the generous person or people who took the time to place them so thoughtfully.