Don't Forget to Find Comfort in Simple Gifts

Some days we find great comfort in simple gifts from the past. I was walking around downtown Sonoma, California today and stopped in a shop call Kaboodle. It was filled with magical items, like old Victorian balance toys, stuffed Teddy Bears and Easter bunnies, hand puppets and old-fashioned model airplanes, bird’s nest and giant life-sized lambs. It was like stepping back into childhood and finding comfort in all that is sweet and gentle, huggable and squeezable.

The owner, a grandmotherly lady, had a large black poodle which greeted me at the door. As I petted the dog, named Lilly, it brought back pleasant memories of the black toy poodle I had as a child. And I ended up having a very uplifting conversation with the owner.

After leaving the store I stopped at Mary’s Pizza Shack and had a delightful veggie pizza while sitting on the patio before a blazing fire in an old stone fireplace. It was nice just sitting and watching people walk past as I looked out onto a park that was filled with trees blooming in brilliant shades of green, white, purple and pink to the magic in the air that is early spring.

After eating I walked along the streets in and out of all of the quaint shops. As I walked along I noticed that an old Percy Faith song was playing in the background. The song is called “Non Dimenticar,” which means "Don't Forget," and it was on a 45 RPM record that my mother bought back in the 1950s. I remembered hearing the song as a child and loving the song. The arrangements, for string orchestra, were so gentle and beautiful. Hearing the song again nearly brought tears to my eyes and it’s been playing in my head ever since.

I found comfort in all of these magical childhood memories today. It was as if God laid them out before me to make me feel warm and comforted. Be aware of the ways in which God attempts to comfort you at times and cherish every second.

P.S.-- After originally writing this, I went to Amazon.com to see if they had "Non Dimenticar" by Percy Faith on mp3. They did and I haven't stopped playing it. What a gorgeous song! I even fell asleep to it last night. A good way to extend the day's blessings.