I Shall Pass This Way But Once...

I've been doing a lot of clearing recently and as I continue to rifle through lots of stuff, clearing & storing and 'letting go' of many things … I found this little picture!

 

I remember it at home over the years propped up here and there … the mantelpiece, various shelves. 

 

On the back of the card are these words:

 

To Major and Mrs LeFerve (sic) With All Good Wishes from Marjorie Holleyoak

I''ve no idea who Marjorie was but it was a long time ago that my parents received this lovely card, probably from a church / Salvation Army corps member or friend - my parents were Salvation Army ministers.

 

A long time ago given as a gift, but the sentiments are the same today as they have always been!

 

‘I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.’

 

This quote is credited to Stephen Grellet …a prominent French-American Quaker missionary, 1772-1855.

 

I'm wondering now if the sentiments in this message seeped into my psyche down the years ... you may (or may not) know that in recent years I've written a book about kindness ... 'The Gift of Kindness', published by Authentic Media and written with my friend and writing buddy, Debbie Duncan.