Illustrated Stories by Michelle Christensen
“A few days after the birth of my second child, I found myself home in a new city with a toddler and newborn, far from family and friends, and feeling overwhelmed and lonely. I hadn’t made any big announcements about our new addition and didn’t want to put anyone in my church group out when they asked if I needed anything. On one particularly difficult day, there was a knock at my door. I opened it to find a 90 year old woman from my congregation holding two lemons from her lemon tree. She came to bring me some lemons and check on me and my new baby. She stayed for a few minutes, marveled over my children, and left me feeling so very loved. It was so simple, but it’s a kindness that I will never forget.” –Lindsay N., Los Angeles, CA
“When I was pregnant I used to catch a busy commuter train to work. One morning the train was extra crowded due to a cancellation so I was standing with almost no room when the train stalled outside a station for a while. I was getting hotter and hotter and feeling faint but it was so crowded I had no room to take off any layers or think about sitting down. A lady caught my eye and realized I was struggling. She asked if I was ok and in my nauseous, overwhelmed hormonal state I burst into tears. She helped me off the train when we finally stopped, gave me a boiled sweet and sat with me a minute at the station. She offered to get me some water: I thanked her profusely but said I was already feeling much better now I had some air, already feeling embarrassed at having made a scene. Despite this she came back a few minutes later with water, a banana and a mars bar for me, and made sure I had gentle plans for the rest of the day. I'm still overwhelmed at how much this lady went out of her way to help me.” –Ona S., Manchester, UK
"Right before Thanksgiving, I received a letter in the mail from one of my neighbors. She is older than me, with grown children. We know each other from church, but not well. She had included an article entitled ‘The Invisible Mother’ by Nicole Johnson. On the back, she had handwritten a short note telling me that she was thankful for me and that she thinks I am a good mother to my little boys. I was so touched that she thought of me.” –Miquette N., Kaysville, UT
“I’ve suffered from depression my whole life, but the time in my life that I was the most depressed was for the two years after my last child was born. There were some days that were so dark, it was hard to mother, it was hard to do what I needed to do. But during that time, I had a neighbor who would knock on my door and who would come in and be happy and ask how my kids were and brighten my days. She didn’t come every day, but on my worst days she was there. After about a year, I asked her: How did she know that I was struggling? How did she know that I needed her to come by? She told me that every morning she would pass by my house while she was taking her kids to school. She said she knew that if my curtains were open that I was ok, but if my curtains were closed I was struggling, and she needed to come over. She knew what I didn’t know–that I was keeping them open if I was happy and having them closed if I wasn’t. I didn’t realize I was doing that, but she did. I still think of that and am amazed.” –Claudia H., Klamath Falls, OR
“We pay a Mexican immigrant to take care of our yard. When a new neighbor moved in across the street, we recommended our friend, and for the last two years he has come every Friday, first mowing our lawn and then mowing our neighbor's lawn. Last summer was a sad time because his wife and baby were deported, but he still came, every week. Three weeks ago, our neighbor had a heart attack. When he was home from the hospital he heard the sound of a lawnmower at our house and called us immediately. Tell A. not to come over, I'm off work for 8 weeks and can't afford to pay him." So, we told A. the situation, and he said ‘Well, if he is sick, it's even more important for him to have a nice yard. It's one less thing for him to worry about.’ And he has done that yard now for three weeks, without pay. This man is functionally illiterate and his English is almost incomprehensible. He makes his living doing yard work, and he has been treated terribly by our government. And yet he has this core of goodness and goodwill. I hold him in very high esteem, beyond most other people I know. It makes me happy, just to see him drive up in his old truck.” –Mark B., Fort Smith, AR
“Suffering with hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy, I spent weeks in bed. Eventually, I was hospitalized. After laying down for weeks and being unable to brush my long hair, it had become tangled and knotted horribly all over. I was worried I would have to cut it all off. And then, that day and without asking, a friend showed up at my hospital room and said, ‘I’m here to braid your hair.’ I don’t know how long she spent brushing the knots and braiding, but I will forever remember the tenderness of her hands and how she made me feel human again. She braided my hair weekly throughout my pregnancy.” –Celia R., Springville, UT
“During the pandemic, my friend's college graduation was cancelled. She decided she still wanted to get some pictures in her cap and gown while the Cherry Blossoms are still around. We went to the National Mall and from a distance, multiple people cheered and shouted ‘Congrats!’ as we walked/snapped photos. She might not get to walk across a stage, but at least she knows that lots of people are still rooting for her :)” –Jensen K., Washington, D.C.
“I love peaches, and August/September is peak peach season in Utah. My sweet friend remembered this when she was at the farmer's market and brought me not just a few, but 14 peaches one night ‘just because.’ She made my week and made me feel so loved. Good friends are such a blessing!” –Ellie J., Provo, UT
“During Covid, collective clapping started in Spain where people are expressing their appreciation for Spanish doctors. I live close to Paris. We have been locked down since Tuesday. The French picked up this tradition. Every night at 8:00 p.m., we go on the balconies or open our windows and clap for all the health workers–doctors and nurses to thank them for their efforts in battling the coronavirus. It is a very moving experience.” –Maja H., Garches, France
“My husband and I had moved to the country a couple years before and were trying our hand at growing fruit trees and the like. One summer day as I stood at the kitchen sink looking out the window, I saw my husband running across the yard, with his arm outstretched. What you have to know is my husband doesn't run. Ever. He burst through the front door, his face shining with excitement. He said to me ‘hold out your hand.’ A little puzzled I did so and he carefully laid in my palm our first ever home grown blueberry. For ME to eat. Of course there are bigger kindnesses I've received from him and others too. But I love to recall his pure generosity of spirit, the simplicity of his excitement at the gift-giving.” —Karen M., Montrose, IA