Advent Day 11: December 12th
The Gift of Loving Presence

She told me her story with so little attention to herself. She'd been a nurse for over forty years, but she wanted to do more with her life. She traveled to the poorest county in the United States and offered to tend the elderly there by taking care of their feet. To her surprise and delight, the lined up in front of her station at the local armory.

Most of them were thoroughly embarrassed, however, and they apologized profusely before removing their shoes. Many could no longer bend over to give themselves foot care and were extremely grateful to have their nails clipped. But at the same time, they felt ashamed to have her see the condition of their feet. Her gentle spirit won them over. Soon she was clipping their nails while another companion rubbed the scaly, worn feet with oil and creams. Before long the weary faces had changed, and the old men and women were telling their stories and reminiscing about their lives.

I couldn't decide what moved me more: her beautiful, unassuming presence, learning of the tender gift that was given to so many, or that we are still so far from this effortless expression of love, our margins of love still so narrow. Anne Morrow Lindbergh thought that love, in fact, isn't the actual gift that's given, but is rather the force that makes it possible for other things, such as strength and hope, to be found.


by Paula D'Arcy, Redbird Foundation
from the book: Daybreaks