I was having a hard time thinking about this challenge and what to post for whatever reason. The first that kept coming back to my mind was some postal cards we got from the hospital staff al back in 2014.

Back in 2013, we had news that we were expecting our first, a baby boy, Alexander Gabriel Santiago. Things are a little blurry now, but I remember January 1st of 2014, we went to see The Hobbit, things went not good that night, and on January second of 2014, Alex was born, at 21 weeks of age, and sadly, he did not make it.

Today’s photo challenge, Compassion, made me thinking of these events. We have a box, where we keep anything related to Alex. Today, I opened it and looked through it, Marley and Luna joined. They asked, asked about the tiny footprints and other items, I told them it was their big brother’s, and he’s now watching over them. And I found the kind words we received from the hospital staff.

It was very unexpected for us to receive messages of comfort and compassion from the hospital staff. And we were very grateful and certainly helped our spirits.

And as you can imagine, we don’t watch the Hobbit very often….

This was a nice read by Greg Morris

I urge you all to do the same, reach out to a loved one, friend, colleague or neighbour and just check in. I brief message just saying you are thinking of them can mean the world in difficult times.

It made me think. I always say that I suck at being a friend, in some ways I may, I don’t know. Perhaps I don’t reach out to friends as often as I should or look after them? And yet, I am the type of friend — I think — that even if you don’t hear from me the entire year, at least you will on your birthday. It is probably the one good thing Facebook has ever done for me, I think, somehow syncing my friends’ birthdays into my calendar. And even without facebook I put an effort into gathering that information if possible. Perhaps because for me, my birthday it’s kind of a big deal, and love when others remember. So, I try to do the same? I am not trying to say that just by remembering someone’s birthday will make you the best friend in the world, but it is something, I’d think.

But Greg is right, especially in times like these when we don’t get to see friends and family and/or colleagues as often, it is important to reach out. Even if it’s a meme, or a dad joke or just yo!

Even if they don’t reply…