The doorbell rings and your mid-bite with the fork inches from your mouth.

“Really?! C’mon!”

Why must it be now?!!!!

If you’re like me, you’ve peeked through your curtains a time or two and have allowed folks to presume: Nobody’s home.

Is this the right thing (?)…I’m not going to get into the weeds of morality vs. ethics right now, BUT, I would like to talk about one particular night where my doorbell’s chime changed my heart.

It was late and we were hangry (that’s not a typo).

The doorbell rings, and from my vantage point I can see that it’s a child whose head can barely see over the door’s handle-level. As soon as I hear the ring and look up to see the bobbing head, it’s gone in a flash. I wait a millisecond and promptly serve a mouthful of spaghetti into my face.

My family and I shrug off the single doorbell ring and continue our meal…until we can’t.

Did they leave something at the door?

Is Amazon breaking child labor laws?

My husband got up from his plate and checked. And he found a note left on the mat:

Hello,

I hope ya’ll had a great Christmas

I just whanted to say that you are a

Amazing person and NEVER GIVE UP! <3

--your nabor

---you are a star—me and my best friend are doing a positive note ding-dong ditch so if you got this note have a wonderful week.---

Crayon Letter

Pen Letter

Now, I could make an argument for not answering the door quickly in the hopes of never altering the possibility of such a positive outcome--the ding-dong-ditch does require a beat to give the “ditcher” enough escape time—but, the real and charming part of the story is self-explanatory.

The other side of a doorbell’s ring could be an opportunity for a blessing given and a blessing received.

itive outcome--the ding-dong-ditch does require a beat to give the “ditcher” enough escape time—but, the real and charming part of the story is self-explanatory.

The other side of a doorbell’s ring could be an opportunity for a blessing given and a blessing received.