Contagious

I was doing yoga this morning when the doorbell rang. Well, I wasn’t sure it was the doorbell, because I’d only been in this rural Pennsylvania AirBnb for about 12 hours. After the second ring, I went to the door.

The landlady Rosie and her son Micah were at the door. She had forgotten something in the house and asked if she might get it. Of course, I said.

And then we talked.

About aromatherapy and raising children. And the loving energy in her home. That her parents live a mile down the road and she speaks Pennsylvania Dutch. I wanted to ask her more about being Amish; I was curious about her lifestyle and her religion. But I thought that might be a bit much for the first conversation. And really, I had all the answers right there, in the little country cottage Bob and I were renting, in the sayings taped or hung all over the house, sayings like Notice all the people who make an effort to stay in your life and Expect great things and great things will happen and Live simply, Proverbs 3:5. The answers were in the garden-fresh apples placed in a basket on the table and the freshly picked daffodils. In the pumpkin-spiced latte (their own brew) left next to the coffee maker. The eggs and milk from a local dairy in the fridge. The swing outside and the green green grass.

And the fact that she came over this morning to meet me. When two women from different backgrounds talked about children, being healthy, being loving, loving G-d. From the five minutes of talking to her, I felt injected with some superlovedrug. What’s awesome mojo Pennsylvania Dutch?

Because I think she lives all those quotes tacked all over the house.

Do I?

My favorite quote in her house is Highly Contagious: kindness, patience, love, enthusiasm, positive attitude; Don’t wait to catch this from others, be the carrier.

There is so much that is challenging right now; all our own personal stuff, Ukraine, and another terror attack in Israel yesterday. My heart is heavy. But, but….there is also sunshine and daffodils, and fresh apples, and beautiful poetry, and people like Rosie. Important to remember, and the more we carry kindness and patience and love, others might catch it as well.