Today I read a message that made my heart feel heavy and brought back a string of treasured memories. We all carry people in our lives whose presence and words have shaped us—some for many years, others for brief but meaningful moments. Both kinds leave marks that endure.
Some of those people have been close companions for decades, like my mom, with whom I shared countless days and memories. Others arrive quietly and briefly, yet their influence lingers. They encourage, inspire, and sometimes change the course of how we live and love.
One such person for me was a woman named Sharon. She slipped into my life for a short while, but our conversations and her kindness have stayed with me. I remember sitting with her after dinner one evening, listening as she spoke in a way that seemed simple yet deeply wise. Even now, years later, I recall some of her exact words and the gentle way she shared them.
Sharon carried a steady faith and a sincere love for people. She felt like a woman shaped by the heart of Jesus, attentive to small needs and generous with encouragement. When I learned she was gravely ill and spending her last day at home before entering hospice, those memories returned with a rush.
After that evening visit, Sharon handed me a handwritten note. It contained several quotes we had discussed, copied in her own script on plain notepaper. I treasured that note immediately and kept it on my refrigerator where I could see it every day.
Over time the note became more than a written reminder of the quotes themselves; it became a tangible memory of her voice and our conversation. The note inspired me, and it reminded me to offer that same encouragement to others. When I wanted to find the paper recently, I realized I couldn’t locate the original—though I had written about it on my blog on February 8, 2011, and that record brought the memory back.
The photos I took years ago are small; when I find the note again I plan to rephotograph it. In the meantime, here is the story as I first told it, and how that simple gift changed me.
***
I remember watching a home decor segment by Nate Berkus where he showed a framed handwritten note from Oprah and encouraged people to surround their homes with items that inspire and tell the story of their lives. I don’t own anything famous, but I do have something precious: Sharon’s handwritten note.
Sharon stayed in the cottage near our home for a while, and we had several meaningful visits. Before she left, she gave me the note containing the quotes from the book we’d discussed. I kept it on the fridge for a long time, but recently I decided it deserved a place of honor.
I found a simple clearance frame and placed the original page inside. Rather than photocopying it to adjust margins or make it look neater, I wanted the real paper and the texture of Sharon’s handwriting. The small imperfections—the folds, the ink, the way the letters leaned—make the note feel alive. For me, it’s not just the meaning of the words that matters but the memory attached to them.
Now, framed and hanging beside my bedside lamp, the note greets me each morning and lingers in my last thoughts each night. It encourages me to live with generous love and to remember the way Sharon encouraged my heart. Her words nudged me toward offering comfort to others in the same way she offered it to me.
Keeping the original keepsake nearby reminds me that small acts of kindness and words offered in love matter far beyond the moment. A simple note can become a lifelong encouragement and a prompt to love more openly.
The passage Sharon wrote for me reads:
Someone once said “When you love, give it everything you’ve got, and when you’ve reached your limit, give it more and forget the pain of it, because as you face your death it is only the love you have given and received which will count. All the rest – the accomplishments and struggles, the fights – will be forgotten in your reflection, and if you have loved well, then it will have been worth it, and the joy of it will last you through the end.” “At the moment of death, we will not be judged by the amount of work we have done but by the weight of love we have put into our work.” – Mother Teresa (Taken from the book “Lifegiving” by Tammy Maltley)
***
My thoughts and prayers are with Sharon and her family as they walk through this difficult chapter. I am grateful for the gift she gave me—both the words and the example of a life that shared kindness freely. If you have someone who has encouraged you, consider keeping a small reminder of them where you can see it. Sometimes the simplest objects hold the deepest meaning.
More Wall Decor Ideas
- Free Fall printables you can print on your home printer
- Christmas canvas art (that lights up!)
- Book Page Wall Art
