I like to think when God was giving out gifts he gave each of us a special gift. It wasn’t something we earned.

And maybe many of us don’t even recognize the gift we were given. We might not recognize a special attribute of ours or a special talent we were we given.

The last person to insist to me that she had no special gifts forgot about her extraordinary sewing ability. She could make anything, including her granddaughter’s prom gown, clothes for her family and the draperies for her entire house.

When I reminded her of that, she said, Oh, I never thought of my sewing as a gift.

I told her how I can’t sew a button or a hem. When I had to make an apron in school to pass home economics, the pocket was on upside down.

While sewing wasn’t one of my gifts, I do know God gave me other special gifts for which I have always been grateful.

I know without a doubt He gave me the gift of words, both written and spoken.

From the time I was in fifth grade I knew I had the gift of word. So much so that the teacher said there was no way someone my age could have written the essay I turned in for an assignment.

Miss Boden kept me after school and said I was going to have to sit there until I told the truth and admitted I didn’t write the essay.

I told her I have always struggled with math but words came easily.

Still insisting I didn’t write the essay, the teacher told me to write another one while she watched. She never did admit she was wrong but she was the first one to finally say that I had the gift of words.

But there are times when there are no words to adequately express my feelings.

This week was one of those times when I was so moved that words failed me.

When my husband’s son Don and daughter-in-law Alice drove to Florida for a surprise visit it was not to enjoy the weather or see the sights. It was strictly to help David.

Don and his wife both work at responsible jobs and it’s hard to get away. Plus living in a remote area in North Dakota with no easy access to an airport makes the trip harder.

That didn’t stop Don and Alice from making the trip. They drove for three days straight and slept in a tent to make the trip more affordable. They spent their time in Florida doing all the things David found hard to do at his age.

I can’t tell you how much their effort meant to David.

But I can you when David was saying goodbye to his son he just thanked Don and Alice for coming and for all they did for him.

But there are no words to convey what the visit meant.

David is not an emotional person, but when he was saying goodbye to his son he tightly clung to him with tears in his eyes and wouldn’t let go.

“He’s thinking he will never see us again,” Don said.

Truth be told, when parents are elderly no one knows when that will happen.

All we can do is give all the love we can for as long as we can.

Don knows that, which is why he made so many sacrifices to visit his father.

That entire experience also made me think of my daughter Maria and all she sacrifices for me.

She has never liked Florida because she’s never been a fan of hot weather, alligators and mosquitoes.

She says she moved here when I stopped driving so she could help me.

I told her the other day our time here on Earth is short. She should pick a place where she will be happy and live there. She says that as long as I am here she wants to be here to help because I‘ve always been there for her.

My daughter Andrea is also there for me regardless of how busy she is. “I will never be so busy that there is no time for you.” she says.

All that is love. Sweet love that warms my heart, regardless of what else is happening.

My friend Chris is another one who puts his mother first. When I tell him he needs to also see his friends he says, “I’ll have plenty of time for my friends when my mom is gone. Right now nothing is more important to me that being here for her.”

There are no words of praise good enough for adult children that honor and care for their parents. I see too many parents longing for a visit from family.

I’ve learned that when parents are gone they are gone forever. I still say my biggest regret in life is that I didn’t give my mother the praise she deserved. Yes, I gave her plenty of love. But not enough praise. We need to do both while we still can.

How about you? Is there a parent somewhere who would be delighted to hear from you?

Email Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcast.net