Last Saturday I decided to surprise my wife and daughter to an ice cream cone coated in chocolate. Shortly after I arrived at the local Dairy Bell, an old acquaintance of mine sped up to me at the window on his bike and looked at the sign as I did. It was closed. My friend said, "Too bad, Tom, I was looking forward to that ice cream treat." I said to my friend, "Me too". He smiled at me and then sped away on his bike.

I failed in that encounter though. You see, his wife died just 4 months ago and I felt torn about whether I should say to him, "How are you holding up? How are you doing?" However, as he smiled, a little voice in me said you will just make him sad doing so, so don't. A bigger voice said, "you are missing an opportunity to help someone." I simply said have a good day.

I have felt bad since, and said a prayer for my friend and asked God's forgiveness for not reaching out to connect deeper with my friend as I believe the Holy Spirit was asking me to do.

This reminds me of part of a prayer that Saint Maria Teresa used to say often: “...If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway...the good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow, do good anyway... give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough, give your best anyway best anyway...for you see in the end, it is between you and God, it was never between you and them anyway.”

I will try to do better next time.

I encourage you to do better than me.

DO GOOD ANYWAY.

The noun, rumination, mean a deep considered thought about something.

-By Deacon Tom Gryzbek