My parents and I were talking this morning as my dad was struggling with his hearing aids. My mom remembered her grandfather who lived with her family for the last few years of his life. He was mostly deaf and did not understand English. So, when someone wanted to make sure he heard them, they had to yell in German. He didn’t have the luxury of hearing aids. My mom said she often thinks of him and how hard it must have been for him. The majority of the time he did not know what was going on around him. My mom talked about the home he lived in when he came from Germany. It was a large home across from a lighthouse. There were several relatives who live in the house – most of the time more than one family. The conversation gave me additional insight into my mom and how her compassion, empathy, generosity, and thriftiness were nurtured when she was young.

I Found God today in new insight into some of my mom’s virtues.