Scrooge? Or Ebenezer?

Ebenezer.

Scrooge is a Christmas classic for me. I grew up watching my dad’s excitement about watching that movie every year. It brings a smile to me to remember his anticipation and how the words “I love that movie” would bound from his mouth as the credits rolled. I love being a witness to how Scrooge transforms right before our eyes. Christmas, and all the holidays have a way of bringing out the best in people.

Twas the week before Christmas, and I got cash-back from a self-scan checkout at the grocery store…and forgot to grab my $20. Three days later, when I went to my wallet for said bill, I realized it wasn’t there. (Yes, THREE DAYS…good indication of how much I actually use cash anymore.)

“It was meant to go to someone who needs it more than me.”

“A child is going to get a Christmas present now, because of the parent finding money to buy the gift.”

“It is a lesson in letting go.”

I believed this. Of course, I needed to let the initial frustration subside, but I believed that it happened for a reason. And yet, I wondered if the money would be returned…

I was amazed and yet not entirely surprised that the money had been returned. Given that I was able to identify the day and the specific checkout where I had left the money, I got my $20 back.

I am going to give it away. This is money that was gone to me. Now that it has returned, I have started doing small, random and anonymous acts of kindness for strangers. It feels good to pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive-through. It feels really, really good.

Good Samaritans do exist in this world. I know it. You know it…or at least I hope you do. Despite hearing about the negativity around us, I chose to remember that there is still a great deal of good around us.

I’m feeling a bit like Tiny Tim, “Merry Christmas, every one!”

…lilybelle

Hello……Hello?

I had an experience this summer and it has bounced around in my mind since.

Summer is full of beautiful weather, birds, outdoor activities…and FESTIVALS! This past summer I decided to volunteer at a local weekend festival. I was given the duty of standing at the entrance and greeting people. Now, it was also my responsibility, as this was a fundraising event, to stand beside the giant barrel that was glowing pink and doing its own job of asking for donations. I was only to give salutations and leave the barrel to the asking.

A festival for me is a fun time. Friends, laughs and FOOD. Well, it just so happened that this particular festival was centred around food. A Ribfest. I looked forward to the task, envisioning people coming in to the festival and excited to be there. Fun would be at my fingertips as folks exuberantly returned my greetings. Or so I thought…

It turned out that most of the people greeted preferred to mumble a ‘hello’ to the ground, rather than look at me.

Was it something about that shining pink barrel that had people intimidated?? Were people avoiding me and my eye contact, thinking that in turn they were avoiding my request to dig in their pockets? Perhaps. If so, then are we creating a society where people feel that they do not have the right to say ‘no’ without a burden of guilt…or subconscious reprimand?

Or, do we live in a society where we have focused so much on teaching our kids to “not talk to strangers” that our adults are believing it too? What is happening to comradary? Community? Kindness? Why are we building up fortresses around ourselves that prevent the kindness of strangers from entering? What benefit will that bring to us and the world around us?

…lilybelle

Where does time go?

The first day of junior kindergarten is an exiting time for a child...at least it was for my child. And yet, the eye opening that it brought for me was even more amazing. In 13 days, by baby will be 4 years old. Four years old!! Time flies, I've heard that old adage for years and yet this week the full weight of that expression hit me full force. Junior kindergarten always seemed an eternity away. It would come...someday. Now I find myself standing on the brink of a new educational era for my small bundle of joy. Some days he seems, as he did on his first day of school, like he is wise beyond his years. Ready to launch into the world of friends, teachers, learning and the inevitable lessons of life. And then there are the times when he is snuggled up in my lap that I wish (and maybe he does too) that he could stay my baby forever.

We celebrated his first day of school (staggered entrance, so only one day last week) with a kayaking trip. We rented a kayak and spent two hours touring around islands on the St. Lawrence. He was the captain...and I the engine room behind the oars. "Mommy, go that way", "Mommy let's go back over to that island". We stopped to watch a spider wrap and devour its catch. Loaded our cargo into the boat...seaweed, a lilypad, "shiny" rocks, an orphan acorn drifting at sea.

My goal as a mom...to help him learn to maintain the simplicity of life.

...lilybelle