Words

Emptying junk emails from my inbox is one of the least favorite parts of my day. As I scrolled and deleted, I hesitated at one advertisement. The subject line read Edwina, we’re proud of you! As strange as it may sound, I felt encouraged by those words as if I’d reached an accomplishment and was being acknowledged, even though I knew it was a ploy to get me to open the email. Words of encouragement, no matter where they come from, can feel like an oasis in the desert.

For three years, my mother-in-law, Stevie, lived with us while she battled the late stages of Alzheimer’s. Once when I brought home ice cream, she clapped her hands like a child and said, “Butter Pecan? Thank you so much! You must really love me to buy my favorite ice cream.” I stopped putting away the groceries and looked at her sitting in her favorite chair. We’d had a hard week together and her words soothed my wounded heart.

For some reason, the email’s subject line reminded me of times Stevie expressed appreciation. Those times decreased as the disease took over her mind, but the memories remain. That email is still in my inbox, not because I need the accolades from a company that doesn’t know me, but as a reminder. If I need to be encouraged, so do others.