As you may have noticed, it has been a very long time since I have written in this space.

I went back to work you see and life has changed dramatically.

It’s been full speed ahead for just over a month and today, along with having been sick with cold and flu for about 2 weeks, I was exhausted.  Done.  Spent.  So an hour early, I left work and headed home.

Checking in with everyone as I like to do when I get home, I found the two boys up in oldest son’s room.  Youngest son had a physically draining day as well having done about 3 hours of PE GCSE practical examinations.

You’re home early Mom.

Yes, I was just exhausted and have been working long hours and steady since I started, so decided to leave a little early.

What’s for dinner?

I told them what was on the menu.

Then I said to oldest son how it would have been nice if he’d cleaned up the kitchen seeing as he was home all day.  A few of the usual exchanges back and forth and that was it. The usual questions….  Then the boys were back to being boys.

I went to my room and got changed out of my work clothes.  By the time I was back downstairs I found youngest son in the kitchen cleaning up.

Totally out of character this was, for youngest son.  He is typically quiet. Rather disagreeable. Finicky.  Picky.  Usually not very helpful.  Likes to point out where you haven’t communicated something quite right.  All those things that any 16 year old boy can be.

But here he was, on his own, with this one very simple act of kindness towards me.  Writing about it now brings a tear to my eye.

It made my day.

I kissed him on the cheek, said I loved him and thanked him for cleaning up the kitchen.

What is it you can do today, as an act of kindness?  What can I?

An act of love.  It doesn’t have to be anything grand to make a huge difference in the life of another.

A cliche I know, but one of my all-time favorite quotes is posted on my bedroom dresser mirror:

And so it is.