There IS Holiday Spirit

A few days ago I wrote about my frustration with the lack of holiday spirit over the past few days. But every story has two sides and I’d like to share some of the good things that have happened to me too.

You may recall that my wallet was stolen after lengthy appointments at a hospital. As my friends in Australia say, I was ‘dev’ (meaning devastated). Such an annoying process that I’m still trying to rectify by the way. Anyhow, what I wanted to point out is that I had a great friend who took time out of her day to come meet me at the hospital and wait with me while my eyes were readjusting. There’s not much you can do to kill time when you don’t have vision. Books, magazines, internet browsing, even listening to my iPod was out of the question because I could barely enter my pass code into my iPhone let alone see a playlist. So my friend drove to the hospital, took me out for coffee, had good conversation, and once we realized my wallet was stolen, she even drove to the bank and gave me some emergency money to get by in the mean time. True friends and true kindness; I’m so very grateful.

I was also really touched by how much D stepped up and helped me out with the situation. See, the stolen wallet was actually a gift from him during our very first trip together. I’m not a very materialistic person (okay, maybe I am a little bit) but I hadn’t ever had a ‘designer’ wallet before and, more importantly, it had sentimental value to me. I was able to keep myself together the whole day in but, of course, when I called him at noon to tell him what happened the tears started flowing. He told me very sympathetically that everything was replaceable and not to worry about he wallet. Then later that evening, after an exhausting day clinic, he took me out shopping for a replacement and then out for dinner. He didn’t even mention that an important hockey game was on or that his new Xbox had arrived in the mail just that morning. Three days later, a huge pot of seasonal poinsettias was sitting at my place; white ones, of course, to go with my festive colour-scheme.

So I don't really have a point other that that I am extremely grateful to have people who take care of me when things go right and when things go wrong. I don't like being a negative person who focusses on all that is wrong with the world. There will always be people who cut in line, take your parking stall, or nearly hit you with the bus they're driving while talking on a cel phone (ahem, hopefully not that often) but there will also be people who hold the elevator door open for you, treat you to coffee 'just because' or simply smile at you when you pass them on the street.

And no wallet will ever be worth more to me than my friends and family who make me feel like a million bucks.