Every once in a while I receive an unintentional copy of a forwarded Catch along with a note to the intended recipient. I find these to be the truest endorsements of all because no one is expecting the writer to be looking on. I mean, it could be something like “Can you believe this jerk said that?” Yet so far, they have all been positive — people forwarding a Catch because they feel the content will connect in a particular way with someone they love. Perhaps help them confirm some issue or perspective they’ve been trying to convey.

Like yesterday when I got the following in regards to the last Catch about God wanting to join us for coffee. “Alex, please read this. Love, Mom.”

Now Alex… listen to your mom. She doesn’t know everything but she does know you, maybe even better than you know yourself. Obviously something I wrote yesterday is something you’re going to like, or something you need, or she wouldn’t have sent it to you.

I don’t know how old you are, Alex, but who knows? You might be old enough that your mom is starting to make sense again, you know, like she used to? Remember when you used to think your mom and dad were the smartest people on the planet? Well, okay, maybe not the smartest, but pretty darn cool, anyway.

If anything, Alex, receive it as love… pure love. She wants to share with you something that is important to her, and I don’t think you want to miss that.

I don’t have my mom here anymore, but when she was here, she used to read me stuff all the time — stuff that meant a lot to her. She had a stack of books she would read from every morning, and if I was anywhere around, she would make me sit down and listen to her favorite parts. Sometimes it would make her cry. Just because it touched her deeply. It used to make me squirm. I probably thought at the time that she was trying to force something on me. I see now that it was all because she loved me. She was giving me something of great value to her. So for that reason alone, I would pay attention. I’m glad I did.

Oh, and by the way… she doesn’t know that I know she forwarded something on to you. Let’s keep it that way. You’re a lucky man, Alex. You know that, don’t you?