Do you see how special these cookies are? I didn't see it at first, but now I do. At first I took no thought about the size of the hands that frosted each cookie and then showered it with the cute Halloween sprinkles. All I was thinking about was how yummy the cookie tasted and how thoughtful it was to have a treat shared. But as I sat there nibbling on my cookie, I saw it and with it came such a flood of good, happy thoughts and feelings. For the first time I really saw the cookies. Do you see them too? Look closely.
I don't know why I was struck by such a simple, innocent thing but suddenly I recognized the size of the hand that spread the frosting and shook the sprinkles over the cookies we were eating. I suddenly noticed that these cookies were not Martha Stewart perfect and the recognition could not have made me happier. As I came to really see, my face was overcome with an even bigger smile than had been there before. Why had I not noticed it before? Of course I knew that a family was involved in making these cookies but for some reason I had not taken the time to consider that all the cookies had been decorated by children, that a mother and father had allowed their children the blessing of feeling the joy that comes in preparing a gift for someone else.
I thought of my own children and the experiences I have had with them as we have decorated cookies. I remember when they were especially young, looking at the cookies they had made for the neighbors and wondering if the neighbors would even dare eat a cookie made by their little hands. It wasn't until I sat eating the cookie made by another little hand that things came full circle for me. I suddenly felt what I hope all those dear neighbors of prior years must have felt ~pure joy! And why?
Because...
Somewhere close-by is a young mother and father doing there absolute best to provide opportunities for there children to do good. They are meek and humble in that they allow there children's gifts to be given as they were made, with no disposition to be seen as a "picture perfect family." Actually what you see on the plate is in my mind picture perfect because things aren't perfect. They appear as they are the picture of learning, of growing and most importantly, of being happy along the way.
What a sweet experience this turned out to be! I am so grateful for the kindness given to our family but most of all I am thankful for seeing what I had not seen before...the picture perfect plate of Halloween cookies. Isn't it wonderful?!
