Sore throat & Congestion

A storybook blessing

“Tears fell freely as I made my way through the tiny bookstore my mother and I used to love. Now 86 years old, she had dementia and was slowly forgetting who I was.

I’d come to the shop to feel closer to her, but somehow the trip made me miss her even more.

“Anxious to leave, I glanced at a woman beside me holding a copy of the children’s book The Giving Tree.

“‘What a great find,’ I blurted. ‘My mom read that to me when I was small. She has dementia now and, well…I cherish those memories.’”

“Embarrassed by my outburst, I hurried to the restroom, setting my basket of books just outside the door. When I came out, I noticed something had been added: The Giving Tree book with the paid receipt taped to it and a note that said, Read it to your mom and make new memories. In tears, I searched the store, but the woman had gone. I hope she knows that her small act of kindness comforted my aching heart.”

—Carla Simms, 57, Boston