With a little help from your friends

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We all get by with a little or a lot of help from our friends and Peceli and I have been given many gifts and kindnesses lately, including advice about cars. Two friends are moving to Queensland so decided to half their household goods so a lot came our way for our use or to take over to the Donation in Kind depot - books, clothes, kitchenware and so on. A small yaqona bowl came unexpectedly our way also. Another friend brought me two pairs of sandals so I sketched one pair this afternoon when it was so hot and humid and thunder was about. Another friend gave me two very nice dresses, so I tossed out some old ones. Of course the best gifts are not physical, but a kind word, perhaps someone saying, 'Thank you for the music' after I played for a funeral, or someone taking time to talk instead of rushing off on some errand. We do tend to hurry with people, not being sensitive to their situation. A minister from Fiji who stayed with us a couple of months ago talks about 'kana' ministry, 'kana' meaning food. He means intentional caring and conversation over tea or coffee or a meal. It's a caution to slow us down to make each day and our relationships with people more meaningful.