They Just Don't Let Us See It by Merri Maywether

When you live in a small town, there is an interesting truism. Two equally important and opposite events tend to occur at the same time.

I write about them. The first — everyone knows your business. Sometimes, before you do. 

The second — someone is secretly working behind the scenes, helping in ways that allow the recipient to maintain their sense of dignity. And the only people who will know about it are their best friends.

I've been in the best friend position, and it is hard.

One time, one of the "quiet helpers" was inquiring about another person's well-being. They weren't asking to be nosy. They were trying to determine whether the person needed help.

Then I had to listen to the person who would receive the kindness verbally obliterate the quiet helper.

Given the nature of the situation, I could only use the typical defenses. That's not how we should talk to each other.

And of course, when a person gets really feisty, they do not care. They feel like they are right, and the conversation is done.

At the time, I couldn't understand why the quiet helper handled the situation with such grace.

If it were me, I'd have behind-the-scenes sassed. My husband would have had to listen to the one-sided, strongly worded discussion. (Actually, he did. But we'll save that story for another time)

The quiet helper didn't have time for that. They were too busy helping.

And the feisty person—once they realized someone was watching out for them, someone they can never properly thank—they could only carry the goodness.

In the days, weeks, and years that followed, they were a little kinder to others. Still feisty, but softened with humility.

Because deep down, they knew that someone who didn't have to—cared.

So while I'll never divulge the kindnesses I've witnessed, I can share the love. I do it in my stories. I love writing about people being kind.

I’m sharing Liz and Hayes’s story. They’re in the Concordia Cove Christmas series. Everyone knows the Madison brothers’ story and that they are generous. They don’t know that Liz helps him, and it shows in how they treat her. 

It’s a short read, meant to take about an hour to finish. And I wrote it so people would feel better about the world, because there are a lot of kind people. They just don’t let us see it. 

For three days only,  the third book in the Concordia Cove Christmas series is available as a gift. After that, it'll return to its regular retail price.

So get your copy of Concordia Cove Christmas Book-3 grab a cup of your favorite beverage and a snack, and enjoy. 

Consider it a little kindness, from me to you.