The Spirit Of Christmas Survives – The Kingston Whig-Standard

Despite our dark November, many sustaining moments helped me remember how very much we remain surrounded by caring souls within this community. As Yuletide begs we recharge our twinkle, I share a few today.

Scouring local corner stores for a copy of the Trentonian in which my father’s obituary appeared, I discovered I couldn’t purchase one as an empathetic woman working CFB Trenton’s Canex store took my call. She explained she received that issue with her newspaper and immediately offered us hers. Then she went much further – indeed farther, for after clipping it out, she chose a beautiful sympathy card to enclose it, wishing our family comfort amid sorrow. She then drove to Belleville and quietly dropped it into our mailbox, ensuring the copy would make it to Mum. Such kindness dwells within strangers still as Lisa embodied community compassion.

At a Service Ontario wicket, having left my ailing pet at the vet, a young woman cheerfully served despite my distress welling. I can’t remember if her name was Lesley, forgive my emotional load that day, but she was so hopeful for my cat, so encouraging and empathetic in a job packed with reasons not to be… a heartfelt charity that sincerely soothed.

As did Tori, standing beside me at Hillcrest Animal Hospital that sorrowful day, saying how much she wanted to hug me after I’d bid goodbye to my longtime companion. So much so, I could feel it, an eye-to-eye emotion that transcended COVID cautions without actually breaking distancing barriers. It can be done, but only by those who still care for others as does she. For while difficult and painful moments will not cease through Christmastime, they may be mercifully lessened by those who harbour within the true meaning of benevolent spirits.

And there was Kaya, owner/operator of Belleville’s Bazaar Artisan Market at 318 Front Street, downtown. For as I stepped in out of the cold one day to snoop for small holiday gifts; especially my foster son in El Salvador (and she has plenty of cool gadgets for stockings no matter the ages), Kaya served a diversity of others with utmost respect and good cheer… mirroring and uplifting as she spoke with both brightness and positivity. Abundantly present in every customer encounter Kaya personified seasonal strength amid gift-givers… a generosity of spirit far exceeding the delightful trinkets I took home.

Standing in Shopper’s Drug Mart, absent spacing circles and awaiting the sole cashier left for service check-out (I’ve got synthetic allergies, and a lot of others have differing handicaps that mean many may never be able to migrate to store-preferred self-serve set-ups that challenge us, and scuttle jobs – one cashier in a store that size ridiculous). Yet, as I waited, and watched Don checking others through, I found myself contentedly smiling; his soulful service uplifting to observe. For no matter the customer’s struggle or story, Don found a way to give back, enriching each and every encounter… and a few looked like it might have been the only encouraging words they would have heard all day, myself included. Such sincerity of character is a joy to behold, and I can’t emphasize enough how more Dons and less digital would go a long way to improving this world.

To more such heartening humanity to see us through these harsh holidays… To a Merry Christmas all.