Spreading the wealth

“When my Aunt Viv started having trouble getting around, I began helping her stock up on groceries each week. One day, I spied an old box on her pantry shelf and asked what was inside.

“‘It’s full of my mother’s gems,’ she explained. “Alarmed, I pointed out how unsafe it was to keep her valuables in such a vulnerable place, but she simply smiled and shook her head.

“Still, I was worried, and I told her so again during my next visit. She laughed, telling me to retrieve the box and look inside. But instead of precious jewels, I only found aged slips of paper with handwritten phrases from my grandmother.

“‘These are lovely,’ I smiled, holding a slip that said, Love like you’ve never been hurt in my hand. ‘I guess I can stop fretting about this now.’ “Giggling, my aunt passed me a slip that read

Love more…worry less. Just the gem I needed.”

—Veronica Busby, 45, Tulsa, OK