Thursday 18 December 2008



Well I'm back. I wasn't sure if I was leaving the blog, or just starting with a new positive outlook. I got tired of being cranky. Venting on the blog was just fueling my wrath. I decided maybe it was time to quit for good.

I said a prayer the other night. It seems like all around us here in my country we are seeing the worst side of everything and everyone. On a personal level we had quite a bit of money stolen from our account due to a compromised debit card as did a very large amount of other individuals over the weekend.

I stood in line at Starbucks trying to pay with said debit card. It kept getting denied. Apparently the police had notified the institution and they froze all the accounts with suspicious activities. I didn't even know our account had been compromised until all this happened. A young very kind stranger stepped forward, once I told them to cancel my rather large order, quietly paid my bill, wished me Merry Christmas and darted off. I tried to stop him, it was much too generous of him, but he wouldn't back down. This was a shock I was not expecting. My view of people has been less than positive lately. In one single second a perfect stranger made me see how wonderfully kind and unselfish people can be! I say to him THANK YOU!

My daughter hurt her finger and by the time she arrived home on the bus it was swollen to double the size of her others and immobile. I'll skip the stupid and potentially dangerous instruction that the teacher on yard duty suggested to her. I was irate to say the least. We made it from start to finish in and out of the hospital in 1 hour and 15 minutes! That's got to be some kind of record for Canada. The doctor was incredible and had her loving her visit so much she wanted to come back sometime;-0 THANK YOU to the kind Doctor!

I was standing in a very kind and generous bakery owners shop exchanging one of my art pieces for the one that will hang for the next little while. A gentleman walked in whom I recognized instantly as an established painter who has one of his works also hanging. I had never met him before. He immediately walked over to the new painting I had just hung and moaned, dipping down towards the floor slightly. We thought he was having problems walking since he is an older gentleman and appears to be unstable on his feet. Turned out though he was moaning with pleasure as he looked at the painting "Oh Rats!" He continued to moan loudly and mutter to himself in French. The owner graciously introduced me, I was incredibly shy about the whole thing. He gushed, complimented and kissed me. He also shook hands like a young African-American teenager, but maybe that's a French thing too. Adventurer would know. I told him how much his positive comments meant to me since he is an artist. I THANK BOTH THE BAKERY OWNER IMMENSELY AND HIM!

God has shown me the good and bad since I prayed. The good definitely outweighed the bad!

9 comments:

Kurt said...

Great story. I can't believe God had the time to personally check in on you. What a guy!

Jams said...

I, too, have had a negative feeling about humanity lately and when I lost my purse and it was turned in with every credit card and all the cash still in it, I felt a little bad.

I hope you'll keep blogging and telling stories about Canada - good and bad. I like hearing about it. My sister loved visiting there and always told me I should go for a vacation.

I'm interested in the health care also, for that's something that may change here at some point.

As for the credit card, that happened to us once. Well, not exactly, but someone got the number off our card and charged it up. They finally got it straight, but what a mess. I hope your situation gets resolved favorably.

Incredible painting.

Anonymous said...

Even when it seems the darkest possible, there is always a little light at the end of the tunnel. Keep blogging and showing your paintings. Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

richgold said...

The hand-shaking issue is not a French thing as far as I know. I think it's a cool painter thing.

Interesting reaction you described. I moan (but skip the sinking to the floor), and mutter too when something hits me like a truck. You've got talent woman. Run with it.

Sorry to hear about the breach. The Huz been hit twice. It's not fun.

Perpetual Chocoholic said...

Awww! Kurt, but see, I took time to check in with him! He likes that kind of thing!

Perpetual Chocoholic said...

Adventurer...a very, very reliable source instructed us to be careful and not use our debit cards in the major food chain store situated between you and I. The one where I know we've walked to before to pick up some pictures you had developed.

Sariah said...

I love the kindness of strangers. Gives me hope. What a great Christmas gift!! :)

Serena Lewis said...

Sorry to hear about your money being stolen via your debit card. I always well up with tears when I read of a random act of kindness such as you experienced. It really does impress that there is still goodness in this big, old world.

OUCH on your daughter's finger. I broke a toe in recent weeks so, in some ways, I can relate.

How COOL that another artist so admired your work....always a lovely compliment!

Jams said...

Just stopping by to wish you a Merry Christmas. Hope it's wonderful.