Love is as love does

“The simplest acts of kindness are by far more powerful than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

Several years ago, I had to undergo a seven-hour Mohs cancer surgery on my face. The day after my surgery, my elderly mother — who had vascular dementia at the time — broke her ankle and was sent to the ER. I had to rush to the hospital to manage Mom’s care — despite the fact that I’d been ordered to rest at home with my own surgical wound. It was one of those rare moments when I felt completely overwhelmed.

At the time, there was a friend in my social circle whose response to my calamity was, “I’ll pray for you.” Not that I doubted the piety behind the phrase she repeated so often. But what really eased my burden were the supportive gestures of help from others who cared: a simple casserole for dinner; a small bouquet of flowers left with a note on my doorstep.

It’s easy to tell someone that you’re keeping them in your thoughts and prayers. Nothing wrong with that. But in the long run, we’re remembered for what we do, not what we say. Love is as love does. ~CL

*** I’m posting less often on Life Lines while I split my time between other writing projects. For my perspective on how our current political crisis is impacting our personal lives, check out my new columns on Substack.