Community Again

     We helped a neighbour get a wandering steer back to where it belonged today. Trust me when I say I did nothing; our daughters and I just watched and kept track of the proceedings, although my husband did get involved.  What impressed me was the number of neighbours who stopped and did what they could to help. Everyone is so busy and on a Saturday afternoon, most folks have something going on---- if not now, then later. But that's the kind of neighbourhood that we live in. If you need help, there is somebody there to do just that.
     That doesn't even cover the other kindnesses that are constantly happening: invitations for get-togethers, gifts for our daughters at special times of the year, recycling collected and delivered for our eldest daughter's choir fund-raising, escaped horses corralled and returned in the middle of the night, egg boxes, soup labels and bottle caps religiously collected and delivered, banana bread and other goodies baked and brought over, extra fruits and vegetables shared, bulbs and other plants dug up and given, even clothes passed on....the list is endless. The bounty is generous and enormous and much appreciated.
     In a world where people are frantic and struggling and sometimes totally overwhelmed, we feel we live in a little pocket of heaven....where people smile and are nice, a neighbourhood both rural and close, where folks have time for each other and if not, they make time.

Thank God

     Our elder daughter spent a week this summer at a day camp with other developmentally disabled kids and really enjoyed it. She made a friend and some good connections with an organization which does incredible work in our community. One thing our daughter learnt during that week was life changing. Thursday afternoon as I picked her up she said: "I thought that God had made a mistake when he made me and now I know I'm just the way I'm supposed to be."
     We all spend time wishing we were different, our lives were altered somehow, our circumstances changed. What a gift it is to be accepting, faithful, sure that we are who we are supposed to be, in the life we are meant to be living, just the way God planned for us, in the knowledge of and with thanks for God's amazing grace.
     I certainly have railed against Him, everything and everyone, wondering why her, why us. I have replayed her birth in my mind questioning decisions I made and blaming myself for how my daughter is burdened in this life. Perhaps, I too can come to the realization that all of our lives are just the way they are supposed to be, nothing more and nothing less, and thank God for that.

Community

     When you live in a community for a long time you get to know the folks that own or work at the businesses that you frequent. Whether it's your dentist, or your doctor's receptionist, your favourite pizza place or the pharmacy where your prescriptions are filled, it's the people that make going there worthwhile and sometimes even fun. One of our daughters' favourite people is our pharmacist. The pharmacy where he works is a smaller, family-run business. He and his father have looked after our medicinal needs since we've been a family and his mother is the nice lady at the front of the shop. Our girls have known this family since they were babies and love going there. I'm sure that it doesn't hurt that our purchases sometimes include lollipops that he's sneaked in there for them. He also buys them something at Christmas time. What they really love though is getting to go behind the counter: "the backstage pass" and listening to the silly jokes he tells them.  He shares the latest antic that his little niece has been up to on FaceTime. And he asks them about what they've been doing and listens to the answer. He makes them feel like special customers and they like that.
     What I like is that no matter the situation, serious medical situation or not, we feel cared for as people. Our health sometimes depends on this family and they do a terrific job. I have never felt that personal level of service at the bigger chain pharmacies. When you think about it, a pharmacist knows things about you and your family that you might not even share with the best of friends. Their knowledge is key to your health; their experience with combining certain medicines and supplements for example, is crucial. All I know is that we couldn't imagine having our prescriptions filled anywhere else. Where else could we go and get such great service, happy smiles and a silly joke too?

Lemonade

     Our younger daughter and I headed out to Harrison Hot Springs the other day. It was a chance to have some time on our own; drive and chat and enjoy each others company. She talks much less than our older daughter; I am always surprised and enjoy how quiet it sometimes is, when we are together. We had a lovely stress-free time but on the way home found ourselves in the midst of holiday traffic. We scooted off the highway and wove our way through smaller, emptier country roads and found ourselves chatting about the choices we make in life.
     We discussed how even small decisions can have big consequences for the future. She talked about wanting to make the right choices and having control of her destiny. Our ten year old turned to me and said " I don't want to be one of those people who, if life gives them lemons, they make lemonade. I want to trade my lemons for apples, and make apple juice!" Out of the mouths of babes....

Honour Roll

     The most amazing thing happened....our eldest daughter "achieved honour roll status" and was recognized at an Awards Night at her high school the other night. How does a profoundly learning disabled student who has had twelve seizures in the last twelve months do that? The principal said it was team work. I call it very near a miracle.
     There is no doubt that her SEAs worked really hard to help her attain those marks. No doubt at all---they were amazing. And my daughter and I worked hard on the homework and projects we did at home. And of course she was graded based on an adapted program, so not on the same scale as her typical peers. But it is a huge accomplishment in the life of our daughter. Her awards thus far have been achieving "Most Improved" student at her elementary school two years in a row and a Highland Dance medal from Santa Claus. (That is a whole other story!)
     We watched a great many kids receive a great many awards last night; some of them getting up multiple times to get awards in the same or different disciplines. It was astonishing how much brain power there was in the room. The special moment for us though was when our daughter saw her name in the program; she was incredulous. Unexpected rewards are delightful; the pleasure is in the surprise and the gift of being recognized. Although nervous to stand up and walk across the stage, she did it and was noticeably proud.  It was a very encouraging moment in our daughter's life and we hope one of many....

The Horrocks

     Today we celebrated amongst other things, a LST teacher at our elementary school who has retired. He doesn't seem old enough to retire; he rode his bike from Crescent Beach to school and back again every day he taught. And he infused his time with our children with such intelligence, humour and cool warmth that to type these words makes my eyes fill with tears. Am I a fan--- you bet your life I am! Anyone who can make a room and everyone in it sing like he does, is more than alright with me. And that was just in his spare time.
     A LST according to The Free Dictionary, stands for 43 other things but as far as I know, it means Learning Support Teacher. That means that you are not a LST teacher but just a LST. (The same as it is not "two twins", it's just "twins".) But this man was not just a LST. He read with the kids, told stories to the kids, played cards and other games with the kids, did sports with the kids, sang and played his guitar and taught songs to the kids...our kids. And if they needed extra help, they got it, along with a thoughtfully written report outlining what was done, what was needed, how to support learning at home.
     The fact that his last name almost rhymes with the name of a famous Dr. Seuss story is just a bonus. The kids narrated and sang and sang and sang today and it was a beautiful thing. It was our small salute to this wonderful man who apparently will miss the company of children. Today was a day about a man I will never forget...and neither will my children. Thank you Mr. H!

    The Horrocks              (With apologies to Dr. Seuss)

At the far end of town

Where the Grickle-grass grows

And the wind smells sweet and country-like when it blows

And lots of birds sing, even the old crows

Is the School of the Retired Horrocks.

And deep in the Grickle-grass, some people say,

If you look deep enough you can still see, today,

Where the Horrocks once taught

Just as long as he ought

Before something retired the Horrocks, they say.

Who was the Horrocks?

And why was he there?

And why was he retired and riding off somewhere

From the far end of town where the Grickle-grass grows?

The old Red Hawk still lives here.

Ask him. He knows.

“Now I’ll tell you,” he says with his beak sounding gray,

“How the Horrocks got retired and rode away….

It all started way back…

Such a long, long time back….

All of a sudden….

Something popped out from behind the door

Of the room I’d knocked on… It was really a man.

Describe him? That’s hard. I don’t know if I can.

He was tallish. And oldish.

And pinkish. And mossy.

And he spoke with a voice

That was sharpish and bossy.

“Kids!” he said with a sneeze quite long,

I am the Horrocks. I sing for the songs.

I sing for the songs, for the songs have no tongues,

And I’m asking you kids, at the top of my lungs”---

He was not at all upset as he shouted and ran ---

“What’s that THING you’ve done with those songs that we sang?”

The Horrocks said nothing. Just gave me a glance….

Just gave me a happy-sad backward glance…

As he lifted himself onto the seat of his bike.

And I’ll never forget the nice look on his face

When he heisted himself and took leave of this place,

Through a hole in the fence, leaving quite a trace.

And part of what the Horrocks left here in this thing

Was a small pile of voices, with the one word…

“SING.”

And we know what that means and we know how to do it,

In three part rounds, with and without music,

We know all the words because the Horrocks, he taught us

He gave us such gifts that no one could have bought us.

That’s why we will never forget him….

Why we will always thank him…

That’s why we love him.

Dancing

     Over the years, our younger daughter has done Highland dancing with a wonderful teacher---- a woman of infinite patience and Scottish good cheer. At one point, both my daughters and I danced with her. It was a great deal of fun. Highland dance can be quite difficult but it looks amazing when done right. Picture elevating yourself by jumping on your toes over two crossed swords laying on the ground without rattling them. Scottish country dance is not as hard to learn, but again enormous fun.  Again, picture yourself in a set with five, seven or even more dancers, crossing back and forth, swinging, linking arms and more. The woman who teaches the class does so with such enthusiasm and ease that all the girls (and sometimes boys) can't help but be hooked.
     The unofficial motto of the dance facility is "....where people with two left feet are welcome...." Thank goodness! It's refreshing to be in a class where you can learn at your own pace and your aptitude for a skill does not matter; what matters is your desire to learn. And I prefer Scottish dance to other dance because the clothing worn for it at competitions or ceilidhs is child-appropriate: kilts and skirts in every colour imaginable, white blouses with lace, velvet vests and matching knee socks. I dislike going to a dance recital and seeing young girls dressed in scant clothing with lots of make-up on.
     I have always been a fan of everything Scottish, whether it is bagpipe music, tartan clothes or the accents. (I am not Scottish, but sometimes I wish I was.) But I am a huge fan of this dance company because it encourages little girls and boys to love to dance. Whether they are good at it or not, they are appreciated. With this teacher's encouragement, they also learn to love themselves dancing and what could be better than that? And as Mike Myers said in the SNL "All Things Scottish" skit--- "If it's not Scottish, it's crrrap!"