One sunny, summer day
I breezed into the kitchen,
delighted with myself
and declared to my daughter, Aoife,
“I deserve a gold star
because I cut the grass
instead of going to bed!”

Aoife looked up from her studies,
hesitated for a second or two
and slipped wordlessly
from the kitchen.
A minute later, Aoife returned,
hand outstretched,
to present to me a gold star …
… that was made of chocolate!

Before long
Aoife and I were sitting happily
at the kitchen table,
enjoying an impromptu study break
as we drank tea
and ate chocolate gold stars.

Lord,
I know that gold stars
sound so childish
but I don’t believe
that any of us really grow out of
a need to be reassured,
to feel appreciated
and to be told
that we’ve done a good job.

Remind me, Lord,
to take the time to recognise
the best efforts of others
enabling those people
to feel valued
so that, when leaving me
they, too, might say to themselves,
“I deserve a gold star!”

© Claire Murray, 3rd June 2014