Grammy's Gift
Yesterday, Molly opened a card from her Grammy out in Washington, and handed me a sheaf of bills. Grammy's instructions were to buy myself something with my share, something I might want that she wouldn't have been able to shop for and send.
I knew right away what I would do with this unexpected gift... I'd had my eye on something for quite a while. There was a beautiful earthenware Buddha in a nearby shop that I knew would look just right in our place. And the amount Grammy gave me was just right to buy that Buddha, and have about five bucks left over. What a treat!
Before getting the gift for myself, though, I had to pick up a bunch of others. I headed off to the Eaton Centre early, to avoid the crowds. I was feeling fine, enjoying the spirit of the day. Imagine my delight when I reached Dundas Square and saw two young men setting up a table with a sign that said "Free Qur'ans."
I eagerly made my way over to chat with them. I've been wanting to read the Qur'an for a long time, and I was impressed with their earnest desire to share the light of peace and understanding at this time of the year. It seemed to me in the true spirit of the season. I am sorry to say that these young men had been harassed and spit on for their troubles, and were bothered by passers-by even in the few moments we shared. It grieves me that in the heart of the holiday of Jesus, it has been forgotten that Jesus urged us to love our neighbours of all creeds.
We chatted a bit, the guys gave me a Qur'an and some pamphlets, and I was pleased to remember I had that extra five bucks... an easy donation to an excellent cause. We wished each other Merry Christmas and I was on my merry way.
Later, at the import shop, my other shopping done, I picked out my Buddha. The lady started to ring it up, and she was undercharging me by ten dollars. I told her so, and she seemed stunned. "Oh, you're so honest!" she exclaimed. "I would have had to pay the difference!" I said it would take a sorry soul to cheat on the price of a Buddha... but then judging by the comments I'd heard people making to the young Muslim guys, there must be a lot of sorry souls out there.
They will never know it, and perhaps it's just as well... but my prayer this Christmas is for those sorry souls. For the lost ones, the ignorant ones, the angry ones. I pray for them because I too am lost and angry and ignorant so much of the time, and I also forget the heart of the holiday and the heart of every day so often.
But on this day I was lucky: I opened the present, and the present opened to me... just like Grammy's gift.
I knew right away what I would do with this unexpected gift... I'd had my eye on something for quite a while. There was a beautiful earthenware Buddha in a nearby shop that I knew would look just right in our place. And the amount Grammy gave me was just right to buy that Buddha, and have about five bucks left over. What a treat!
Before getting the gift for myself, though, I had to pick up a bunch of others. I headed off to the Eaton Centre early, to avoid the crowds. I was feeling fine, enjoying the spirit of the day. Imagine my delight when I reached Dundas Square and saw two young men setting up a table with a sign that said "Free Qur'ans."
I eagerly made my way over to chat with them. I've been wanting to read the Qur'an for a long time, and I was impressed with their earnest desire to share the light of peace and understanding at this time of the year. It seemed to me in the true spirit of the season. I am sorry to say that these young men had been harassed and spit on for their troubles, and were bothered by passers-by even in the few moments we shared. It grieves me that in the heart of the holiday of Jesus, it has been forgotten that Jesus urged us to love our neighbours of all creeds.
We chatted a bit, the guys gave me a Qur'an and some pamphlets, and I was pleased to remember I had that extra five bucks... an easy donation to an excellent cause. We wished each other Merry Christmas and I was on my merry way.
Later, at the import shop, my other shopping done, I picked out my Buddha. The lady started to ring it up, and she was undercharging me by ten dollars. I told her so, and she seemed stunned. "Oh, you're so honest!" she exclaimed. "I would have had to pay the difference!" I said it would take a sorry soul to cheat on the price of a Buddha... but then judging by the comments I'd heard people making to the young Muslim guys, there must be a lot of sorry souls out there.
They will never know it, and perhaps it's just as well... but my prayer this Christmas is for those sorry souls. For the lost ones, the ignorant ones, the angry ones. I pray for them because I too am lost and angry and ignorant so much of the time, and I also forget the heart of the holiday and the heart of every day so often.
But on this day I was lucky: I opened the present, and the present opened to me... just like Grammy's gift.
posted by David Newland at 24.12.06
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home