Sunshine of the Soul

'In separateness lies the world's great misery, in compassion lies the world's true strength.' Buddha

Today started off really shitty. It shouldn't have started that way, after all I was spending the whole day with my boys and those days are always fun days. But it did. I woke with a headache that I couldn't budge with any amount of drugs and a tongue that felt as if it had been dragged across a carpenters workshop. I rarely get headaches so when I get one it frustrates the heck out of me. So what do you do in that type of situation? You vent your anger on a dear friend of course! Spread the love right? Yeah, yeah. I know. Not exactly the best course of action. To be honest it made me feel shittier.

Thankfully the forecast rain decided to hold off and my drive down to Grimsby was bathed in sunshine. The sun brightened my mood and by the time my boys greeted me I was in a much happier place. The wet sloppy kisses only made the day brighter. We headed out en route to one of Our Spots.....Port Dover and the beach. Port Dover has become a bit of a sanctuary for the boys and me....a place where we can leave the stress and sadness of a separated world behind us and just laugh. Just have fun. Just revel in the feel of sand between our toes and that sublime mixture of treats one only finds at the seaside swimming in our stomachs.....and of course then there are the boats!

Zack has always had a fascination with boats. I cannot remember a Birthday or Christmas that has passed without some gift having a nautical theme. A boat tour up the river was therefore a given. We were joined on our trip by a young family and a gaggle of six seniors. The myriad of pleasure craft lining the banks prompted a myriad of questions from Admiral Zachary du Kamp. The captain answered every question that was thrown his way and all too soon the dock was calling us home. Zack was one of the first to disembark and.....

That's when the magic started.

Despite being chock full of excitement and amped up on sugar, Zack turned back and held out his hand to help the first senior from the boat. He wasn't asked, he just did. His compassion was reflected back at him in the old lady's smile. Six times he held out his hand and six times the world got a little brighter......and my heart felt it. I thought to myself 'Now that's the kind of global warming I can embrace'. ;)

We have always taught our boys to give of themselves when they can. Its an incredible feeling when you see your children live the values you have tried to teach them. I swear the sun was shining even brighter.
The beach called next and as the boys constructed what I was later to learn was a castle that could defy the erosion of the tide, I sat and read my book. It was an incredibly peaceful and almost idealistic setting.

Then the magic happened again.

I first heard the words of encouragement. 'Come on Old Girl. You can do it! Good job!' Raising my eyes from my book I caught a glimpse of a man and his dog. After taking a closer look I saw that the dog was in a harness and her back legs were being supported by her owner. The 17 year old Border Collie tentatively but doggedly (no pun intended) made her way across the sand, words of love and encouragement forever ringing in her ears. I have never been one for pets. I have never really understood the connection that people develop with their animals.....but in that moment I got it....got hit right between the eyes! I stood up and thanked the man for teaching me that compassion, true compassion, is limitless. He smiled and explained her story. He finished by telling me that my kind words had given him a boost of energy. His comments reminded me that compassion is always freely given but often still exacts a cost. It is that willingness to give of oneself without reward that is truly inspirational.

My day had truly turned around! I felt alive with energy and screw Red Bull, I had a set of wings all of my own! We loaded up the truck and headed back to Grimsby; lots of smiles, lots of laughter and unfortunately thanks to Logan, lots of smells. :) We had barely left Port Dover when out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a car parked on the side of the road but facing in the opposite direction and in an area one would not normally pull over. It just seemed strange. I am not the most observant of people at the best of times and so I can't explain why with such a small glimpse I was able to discern that an elderly woman was behind the wheel.....but I did and I knew instantly what was required. I turned the truck around and approached the car to find an elderly Romanian couple pouring over Map Quest directions and hopelessly lost.

With the help of my GPS we were able to work out where they were trying to get to and in the end it was easier for us to just lead the way and let them follow us. The relief on their faces was evident and the thumbs up from the Gentlemen conveyed his thanks and relief. Their reactions on arriving at their destination, however, captured their true joy and true relief. With scant concern for the fact that we were completely blocking a main road, the woman practically jumped from her car and embraced me tightly.....before doing the same to Zack and Logan. :) The old man rushed to the trunk to retrieve a can of German beer he had brought with him all the way from Europe and proceeded to hug me as well, repeating softly in my ear 'you are a good man!'. It was a truly magical moment. We left the happy reunion, all feeling a few feet taller.

In the film Bruce Almighty the main character (played by Jim Carey) is forever being sent signs by God; signs that are meant to guide him into making the right decision. I truly believe that God was moving so very visibly in my life today. A day that started off so badly was transformed by two selfless acts of compassion. Two selfless acts designed to remind me of the joy I can bring to this world and not what I can take from it. Two selfless acts designed to remind me that compassion is limitless. Two selfless acts that in turn inspired me to also give freely of myself when the opportunity arose.  The fact that one of those selfless acts of compassion was reflected back at me in the face of my own son just reinforced the magic of God's love.