On the receiving end of kindness

I had some unexpected surgery three weeks ago.  My daughter Elana on the west coast let family and friends know by creating an email group and encouraging them to get in touch with me.  I received many emails and some get well cards of encouragement.  Each contact meant so much to me.  Some people offered prayer, others offered funny stories and still others told me how much they cared about me.  I know these people.  Many have heavy burdens of their own at this time in their own lives and yet they each reached out to me.  People came with prepared food too so I could take a break from the ordinary jobs of life while I recovered.  My daughter Rachel took the bus in from London to look after me for the first few days out of hospital.    I saw the surgeon yesterday.  I am relieved that the biopsies indicated that the tissue was benign.  I found that being on the receiving end of kindness to be a necessary lesson in humility.