Living across the country, my family didn't see our west coast relatives very often. But there was something about Aunt Adele... as with Alicia, whenever I think of her I smile.  I have such a vivid childhood memory of being picked up at the airport in L.A. by Uncle Jack and Aunt Adele. Who knows how old my sister and I were; I truly have no idea, and honestly, I don't even quite remember much of the trip. What I DO remember is being on an airplane for a long time, walking a lot, and then being greeted by this enthusiastic  wonderful woman carrying a full 2-liter bottle of ginger ale and plastic cups. Two whole LITERS. And cups! Not some dinky cans and a couple of straws, no sir.

Clearly, Adele's capacity for nurturing others was not a small scale affair. We camped out with her and sipped our glamorously refreshing beverages outside in the sunshine while others claimed luggage, got the car, et cetera.

Some kernel of that moment has always been with me, a little seed planted in my mind and heart. Now a mom and auntie myself, I strive to be thoughtful enough to always pack that 2-liter bottle, both literally and metaphorically- to have something ready in my purse or up my sleeve, no matter how seemingly simple, that would make another person's experience just a little sweeter.  

Funny thing, you just never know what life lessons someone else is learning from you at any given moment, when you are just being who you are...

Thank you, Aunt Adele!