Today I learned how to play Spider Solitaire from a lady I have come to call Elder Marge. At 79 years young, she still has much inside her to share and teach others such as myself. With the Elder's assistance, I was able to set up and adjust her computer so she could take part in the family gatherings at the computer. Together we learned that it is always better to work as a team and that two heads are better then one.
Elder Marge sat in the chair at the desk in front of her computer and made sure the resolution on the monitor was not to bright for her eyes. She also helped me to adjust the volume control on her speakers by telling me if it was too loud as my hearing is off; sometimes I can not hear as well as I should. She helped me to change the mouse as the one she was using was tricky to use so we replaced it with one more to her liking. She smiled, because she knew I would smile and she saw that inside of me I wanted to feel useful.
Sometimes we can feel as if we are not useful and like we are sitting upon a shelf gathering dust. The knowledge we have learned through our walk of life remains hidden away from the world in some deep secret place. Then out of the blue someone shares with you a smile and a kind word and your eyes are open wide once more. That child inside you calls out and demands that you take notice of it. In doing so you find that your spirit becomes lighter and your heart sings out. The smile becomes contagious and soon others began to smile right along with you. This is and always has been the way of spirit. It moves through all things great and small.
My reward, you might ask? My answer. A smile, kind words, interest in another and being made to feel still useful and a part of everything is good enough reward. The icing on the cake? Elder Marge taught me how to play Spider Solitaire.
We sometimes forget the simplest of actions like the smile makes everything look brighter and more beautiful. :)