In Looking at Our Loved Ones

Someone once wrote, “If the stars came out only once a year, the whole world would go out and look at them.” But since they can be seen so easily and so often, we become accustomed to them and let then seem somewhat commonplace. Likewise, if we saw our loved ones less, or faced the fear of losing them, or saw them not at all, we should surely soon learn some new lessons in appreciation.

It is true that we sometimes seem to take for granted those we love and live with, and would do well sometimes to step aside and see them as if we’d never seen them before—or, more poignantly than this, to see them as if we’d never see them again. Blessedly we shall. But still it is a wise and wonderful thing to appreciate those on whom we have the closest claims, and not reserve altogether our best appearance and performance and our most polite approach always for those outside the family circle.

Gratitude and gracious custom and courtesy should have their place at home. There is, in fact, as some have found, a kind of love and courtesy and consideration that can come into a home and make its drudgery no drudgery at all, and make the daily round of routine tasks seem but to be a blessed service. This can be so when appreciation is present—not only a silent, implied appreciation, but also an inner and outer evidence of it—such as is actually shown and said.

But we leave some things, too many things, too long unshown, unsaid—and assume that they can wait—that they will be understood without any outward evidence or utterance. In short, we assume that the “stars” will always be there. No doubt they will—but there are times when we should look at them (and at our loved ones) with seeing eyes and understanding hearts, and with the blessed power of appreciation.

One of the real tests of character is the test of courtesy, the test of consideration toward those we love and live with—and the generous heart that says and shows them how wonderfully much they mean.

To repeat again an observation of the past: Of all the things there are to belong to, there is no finer thing to belong to than an honorable, and affectionate family—and it will be so, always and forever.