The Gift of Gilbert

I finally did something today I have wanted to do, planned to do, often thought about doing, but for whatever reason, just never did. I signed up to sponsor a child through Compassion. I have sponsored a child before as part of a group, but this is the first time my husband and I have a sponsored child to call our own.

We needed this. We try very hard to make sure that we are making our world a better place, but too often that world is no bigger than the small town in which we live. Gilbert will remind us the world is bigger. And hope is something to be shared. And oddly, I take hope in sharing hope.

My prayers tonight and every night from now on will be different. There is already the precious smiling face of a little boy named Gilbert imprinted on my heart. I smile when I picture him, and one day, I hope that when he thinks of me, he will smile too.

I laughed today because I was thinking that all I really wanted for Christmas this year was a new composter. It is true, I just really don't want for a lot. But apparently, I needed a lot more. I needed the gift of Gilbert.