“There is no surprise more magical than the surprise of being loved:  It is God’s finger on man’s shoulder.”

— Charles Morgan

“Mom!” my daughter called from the kitchen this morning.

“Yes?” I answered.

“Thanks for remembering to make the hard-boiled eggs.  I forgot, and now I have one for my salad.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied, “and thanks for noticing.”

There are so many small things that we do for the people we love; and we try our best not to expect a drum roll or a fanfare of trumpets in response to our efforts; but it is nice to have a thank you now and then.  What followed was more than a fanfare — it was a gift of magic.  ”Mom, I notice so many things that you do.  It’s not only about the hard-boiled eggs.”

And the finger of God reached out and tapped me on the shoulder.  ”You are loved,” He said.

I like to think of myself as a pretty self-contained and independent creature.  I like to think that I make my own choices, accept my own consequences and outcomes, and do the things I do for people simply because it is the right thing for me to do; but I must admit that those taps on my shoulder encourage me to stand tall and remember who I want to be in my interactions with others.

What I remembered this morning, when my daughter grabbed God’s hand and placed it on my shoulder, was that I want to be grateful and express my gratitude to others.  When we are blessed to have people who remind us we are loved, it is the best motivation we could ask for to do the same.

Wherever I go today, I want to remember how a simple “thanks for the eggs” put the finger of God right on my shoulder.  Wouldn’t the world be a magical place if we all remembered to express our gratitude so that each person we met could remember they are loved?

I look down at my hands and see that they are God’s hands.  I extend my finger and think of the power it contains to remind you of the most important thing of all.  ”Hey!”  I tap you on the shoulder.  ”Remember that you are loved.”