Sweet kindness...

My sister Deb is extraordinarily kind and generous.  She does sweet things for her family, and for co- workers, neighbors, and even strangers.  She is often very creative in her kindness, too. Here is an example.

Growing up in Boxford, Massachusetts, it was a special summertime treat to go for an ice cream at Benson's.  I remember a few rare occasions when I was very small that the whole family would pile into the wood sided station wagon after supper on a hot night and go there.  Mostly I remember going with my mom and a sibling or two, sometimes one of my friends.

One one memorable occasion my sister Dicy piled a bunch of us into her '39 Ford, dubbed, "The Green Hornet."  I was around 7 at the time, and my bigger siblings let me ride in the coveted "rumble seat" in the back. It looked a lot like this... only green.

The big kids got the idea that they should buy me my very first banana split, and they did.  I bet my eyes about popped out of my head when I saw that enormous, gooey confection.  They all finished their cones long before I had even made a dent in my giant bowl of deliciousness.  So they popped me and my treat back in the rear and headed home, driving fast over the winding, tree lined roads. The wind whipped my long hair in my face, and had it's way with the melting ice cream. I remember that when we got home the leather seat and I were both liberally painted in whipped cream, marshmallow, hot fudge and stickiness.

When I got a little older, sometimes my friends and I would ride our bikes to Benson's, and eat our ice cream as slowly as we could so we could linger there.

Fast forward a whole lot of years to this weekend.  Sister Deb came to visit, just for fun.  She got out of her car carrying a Styrofoam cooler. She handed it to me and I opened it right up, wondering what she had brought.  It was full of ice packs, snuggled up around a thick, white paper bag.  I opened the bag and the biggest smile splashed on my face.

Ice cream from my favorite place!  Not only that, but my all time favorite flavor, one I have never seen any where else.

Quick as a bunny I scooped out a little bowl and we went out to the porch while I savored it. It occurred to me that the last time I had this particular flavor and brand of Benson's ice cream I was probably with my mom, and she's been gone 16 years or more.  As the creamy confection danced delightfully on my taste buds I was awash in happy summertime memories.  And love.  My sister thought she just brought me ice cream.  She didn't know about the memory gift that came tucked into that tub.