How Sweet the Sound

“Oh, my! Big fat sigh.” I said under my breath as I pushed through the hospital door. It had been a stressful weak, and I was tired. I was also thirsty.  I hadn’t drunk enough water the night before.  Anxious to get to the hospital, I didn’t take time to grab a bottle on my way.  Now, as I was leaving, I really noticed - I felt parched!

As I walked out into the beautiful, spring day, I was only slightly encouraged. I was more focused on the chores I had to do, not wanting to forget anything which would cause me more time, and stress (Yes, I’m a wimp!) later.

 

I found my car in the crowded parking lot; that helped - I remembered where I parked!  I was about to put the key in the ignition, when a bottle on the passenger seat caught my attention. Crystal Geyser Juice Squeeze!!  Ruby Grapefruit!!! My absolute favorite drink, ever!

 

Ok, so I must have been tired. It took me a moment to figure out how it got there!  Matt couldn’t have brought it, I had just been texting him; and I didn’t think he was in town yet. My youngest sis?  She knows I love this stuff, and she just got here. But no, wait; she doesn’t have a key to my car - Duh!  My husband is at work; it couldn't have been him. I grabbed that bottle, twisted that cap and took a big swallow. It had to be Matt. I laughed at my momentary confusion…then I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye that had appeared because of the thoughtfulness of my son.

 

“THANK YOU SO MUCH!” I “texted” him before I left the parking lot.

 

Sitting at a red light, I noticed something else on the passenger seat that I hadn’t noticed at first.  There tucked just under my blanket enough that I hadn’t noticed, were two brand new CD’s, by two of my favorite country artists.

Ahhhh, my son knows me. He knows what I love, and today he knew encouragement would be good. I smiled. What a thoughtful guy!

 

Now I was in "reminiscing mode". I remembered our days at the coffee shop when we were working 14 -15 hour days; leaving before dawn, and getting home well after dusk – 6 days a week. We were tired then, too. If Matt thought I was having a particularly bad morning, he would go start the car for me, and when I got into the car to leave, my favorite song by my favorite country artist would be playing on the CD player. The mandolin breaking through the morning moments calmed me instantly.  It was such a soothing, soft country melody, how could it not.  Sometimes, I wouldn’t even know when or how he did it, but I would turn the key to the ignition, and as the engine started, that beautiful song would begin playing, set exactly at the beginning of the tune. I would know he had been thinking of me enough to do something thoughtful for me. Just a little thing; but one of the biggest things to me, ever! Precious memories...

 

Oh the gift I have in that kid! 

 

I began to take the packaging off the first CD that had been lying on the seat.  I bet he knew I would listen to this one first, I thought to myself.  He knows me.

 

I put the CD into the player. I didn’t stop to look to see what song would begin to play, or even which songs were on the CD…didn’t care, it was my favorite artist. A beautiful, melodic piano intro began. I reflected on the little things that always seem to help when one is tired.  My favorite artist’s strong bass voice rang through the car. “Aaaamaaaazing Grace; how sweet the sound….”