Ordinary Kindness
An acquaintance of my wife had a bit of an emergency recently ... he had to move out of his home in a hurry. He had to leave by Dec. 31st, taking everything that belonged to him and find himself a new home. Normally, this would be a problem for the best of us -- short notice, fire in the hole, scramble like hell. This situation was not so normal. Imagine your worldly possessions consisting of just your clothes, your computer and personal documents. Imagine having nothing else to your name. Imagine surviving on a limited wage amounting to less than $1,000 per month. Now imagine having no sight whatsoever. Yes, visual impairment. No sight.
I can't imagine what I would do. I also suspect I have limited imagination, because I never imagined what would happen next. I never imagined the kindness of complete strangers -- and friends and family of ours. It was mostly my wife's doing -- she regularly restores my faith -- my faith in human altruism. Sharing the story of a young man's plight with family resulted in an outpouring of support. It wasn't a miracle. In hindsight, this should have been expected. We have such a capacity for kindness. We just need to tap into it more often, since the demand is, unfortunately, always there. I don't like miracles, as they tend to be out of reach for most of us -- the response to this crisis is something we can all do at any time. No miracles needed.
Response to the emergency saved one person this winter from falling through the cracks in Toronto. There is now a little apartment, mostly furnished, and quickly turning into home. I'd like to thank those that helped.
So what are we going to do next folks?
I can't imagine what I would do. I also suspect I have limited imagination, because I never imagined what would happen next. I never imagined the kindness of complete strangers -- and friends and family of ours. It was mostly my wife's doing -- she regularly restores my faith -- my faith in human altruism. Sharing the story of a young man's plight with family resulted in an outpouring of support. It wasn't a miracle. In hindsight, this should have been expected. We have such a capacity for kindness. We just need to tap into it more often, since the demand is, unfortunately, always there. I don't like miracles, as they tend to be out of reach for most of us -- the response to this crisis is something we can all do at any time. No miracles needed.Response to the emergency saved one person this winter from falling through the cracks in Toronto. There is now a little apartment, mostly furnished, and quickly turning into home. I'd like to thank those that helped.
- My wife -- who got the ball rolling and came to the rescue.
- Aunt Tiger -- who continues to save the world; in this case, finding cutlery, dishes, blankets, towels and more mugs than I thought anyone could have.
- Joan -- for quickly locating her son's bed and passing along her desk from when she was a teen.
- Maureen -- for the rug ... and getting us in touch with Marlene and Al.
- Marlene & Al -- for the sofa and chair, and staying home to help us.
- Kathy -- for all the stuff ... buggy included ... he can now manage his shopping and laundry a little easier.
- Tyler -- for the physical labour; the grunting & groaning; the wisecracks; and figuring out what to do with a long sofa and tiny, complicated doorways.
- Bernadette & Vanessa -- for helping with the first grocery shopping.
- Jason -- for the end tables you've had since your teenage years.
- Birch/Cliff (I didn't get your name, but you know who you are) -- for the laundry basket and electric kettle.
- Nell -- for the dresser. Perfect fit in the bedroom!
- Jan -- for the radio. It works great!
- Lou -- for the microwave ... a very useful appliance for a single guy!
So what are we going to do next folks?
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