there’s a house on the corner of esberg and fairway in los altos. driving by it is inevitable. describing the circumstances of the home is difficult, but what we do know is that it functions as something of a home for physically and mentally handicapped kids, all cared for by a woman whose hearing is most certainly impaired. my brother has worked with them a few times; yard work, house chores, and such. and we’ve talked with the kids at several points just in passing. thanks to the highway community for connecting a visible need to an available resource.

in the end, my brother and i learned an invaluable lesson. there was really no need to deliberate over the purple envelope’s destination, and whether the gift would be welcomed. but we were both surprised by how easily we passed over the task of giving one day after the next. building this, meeting friends here, some new adventure there; our schedules and our pace displaced the all important opportunity from our minds. and what we discovered about ourselves was this: if giving does not remain active within our conscience, the weight and force of self will overwhelm goodness, that which is self-less. so while we truly hope and believe God will do something spectacular for the family on the corner, we also know that He’s reminded us of our need for His grace and inspiration.