Bear One Another’s Burdens

 One of the late Rev. Fred McMaster’s wise sayings was: “How fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind”.

This was brought home to me strongly in recent weeks when, following surgery I had a long and painful battle with the dreaded shingles! I was unaware that family members and friends had suffered from this distressing complaint in times past, and while I did what I could in the way of support and sympathy, I really had no comprehension of what they really endured.

I believe it is only by trying to put oneself in the other person’s shoes that we can begin to feel some of the anguish and stress of others. Jesus did tell us to “bear one another’s burdens”. Kindness can mean different things to different people and is shown in many ways. 

I have been the grateful recipient of much kindness during my time out of action and sometimes from the most unexpected quarters.

I am sure too that we’ve all had the thrill of being reminded of some small and seemingly insignificant act of kindness we’ve done to someone in the past and have long forgotten, that really did make a difference in that person’s life. What kindness we show or are shown can have a ripple effect, like the pebble in a pond, hopefully radiating out to others.

 Eleanor Stirling

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