"Daddy?" a sweet little voice pierces through the humdrum noise of the bus while the rain washes yesterday's dust from the windows.
"Yes princess?" The bearded and rain-drenched father responds as he leans down and towards his daughter sitting comfortably next to him.
The princess' question escapes the tight confines of her pink hood covered in multi-coloured flowers and tickles my ears with its innocence and hilarity, "Can I sleep here?"
The good-natured father chuckles, "No princess, you can't sleep here."
"But mommy says I can." The little princess pointedly answers while emphasizing the source of her reasoning.
"Well then, if mommy says you can, then you can princess." The father diplomatically says while catching my eye and smiling sweetly.
Getting the approval that she seeks, the tiny princess, tucked into her bright-colored slicker, leans quickly into her father's soaked side. She inches yet closer to him, her little arm resting gently on his leg, and scoots her rubber-booted feet in his direction, her legs remaining straight out in front of her. Tilting her head towards her father, she closes her eyes, inhales deeply and loudly and then peaks out from underneath her curly eyelashes, to see of course if her antics are being watched.
"Ssssssshhhhhhh," she exhales, as she puckers her lips and tries to keep her eyes tightly closed.
She inhales again and "ssssshhhhhh", inhales and "ssssssshhhhh," while the corners of her lips desperately try to remain in a netural snoring position; I smile to myself and contemplate the pure simplicity of most children's lives as her father lovingly looks down on his little princess.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sharing Tea with a Teacher
A small and happy moment just occurred that I think is pretty special.
I decided to come to the TESL Library here at Concordia, which I have now dubbed my second home, so that I could study a little bit. One of my TESL teachers came in and asked if she could borrow the kettle to boil some water for her tea, and of course I said yes. Her office is right around the corner and she is just a great person to be around - very happy and positive with a demeanor that makes you feel as though she really cares about what you are saying, whether it be related to class or not. She also has this great smile that is completely infectious and she has this way of tilting her head to one side and leaning towards you that lets you know that she is listening to you. Her first words when you approach her are always, ''Tell me,'' with her adorable and lovable Spanish accent.
So, this wonderful woman forgot about the kettle and I decided to just bring the pot to her so that she could enjoy her tea and she decided to reciprocate the gesture by bringing me a tiny little cup of this AMAZING vanilla tea. She was very cute about it too - she asked me if I would like some, and then she explained how she would bring it to me once it had finished infusing. She came in, holding this miniature cup in her hands, and offered it to me as though we were participating in a tea ceremony of some sort!!
I let it cool a short while, and the smell of tea has wafted throughout this small room so that I now feel completely at ease and relaxed. The taste itself was so comforting, like the smell of sugar cookies baking in your house during the holiday season and it hit my palate in such a delicate fashion.
My teacher and I shared our love of tea and a few smiles or two while enjoying a second cup in her office, and it was just a very enjoyable, miniscule fraction of time that has punctuated a very long day!
I decided to come to the TESL Library here at Concordia, which I have now dubbed my second home, so that I could study a little bit. One of my TESL teachers came in and asked if she could borrow the kettle to boil some water for her tea, and of course I said yes. Her office is right around the corner and she is just a great person to be around - very happy and positive with a demeanor that makes you feel as though she really cares about what you are saying, whether it be related to class or not. She also has this great smile that is completely infectious and she has this way of tilting her head to one side and leaning towards you that lets you know that she is listening to you. Her first words when you approach her are always, ''Tell me,'' with her adorable and lovable Spanish accent.
So, this wonderful woman forgot about the kettle and I decided to just bring the pot to her so that she could enjoy her tea and she decided to reciprocate the gesture by bringing me a tiny little cup of this AMAZING vanilla tea. She was very cute about it too - she asked me if I would like some, and then she explained how she would bring it to me once it had finished infusing. She came in, holding this miniature cup in her hands, and offered it to me as though we were participating in a tea ceremony of some sort!!
I let it cool a short while, and the smell of tea has wafted throughout this small room so that I now feel completely at ease and relaxed. The taste itself was so comforting, like the smell of sugar cookies baking in your house during the holiday season and it hit my palate in such a delicate fashion.
My teacher and I shared our love of tea and a few smiles or two while enjoying a second cup in her office, and it was just a very enjoyable, miniscule fraction of time that has punctuated a very long day!
A New, but Bumpy Start...
After twelve years of being in a relationship, I have found myself wanting to face this scary world on my own. Now, that is not to say that the breaking up process was and is any easier, and it is not to say that I am not wanting to crawl into my big, empty king-size bed with a bottle of Peach Snapps, a box of Kleenex and possibly some chocolate, but I am now going to open up my heart to the new possibilities that shall arise.
The theme of my blog, once my best friend Lori helps me to figure out how to put it all together, shall be based on the majestic peacock and all of the symbolism that is attached to this fabulous and showy bird. I will continue to live my life as I have always thought I did, by being open to everything and anything that comes my way; in this way, I shall be imitating the peacock by holding my heart on my sleeve and being open to new opportunities in the same way that the peacock chooses to be open to the world by displaying all of his plumage rather than hiding his beautiful feathers to himself. So, watch out world, because here I come!
This new journey of mine shall include an appreciation and contemplation of the smaller pleasures in life that are often taken for granted; thus, you might find me writing about a smile passed between me and a stranger on the metro, the wonderful moment when a spoonful of a carefully selected and self-served frozen yogurt slowly dissolves in my mouth, or even of a friendly and fluffy cat sitting in my lap while I am typing. I shall be sharing my thoughts and feelings while describing the moment to you in great detail so that perhaps you can get some joy out of my magical moments as well!
I am now and ever shall be on a quest to find all of the happiness I possibly can in every single situation that I find myself in. At the same time, I am aware that my heart shall be broken and trampled upon a thousand times simply because I shall be keeping it so exposed and vulnerable, but I will counter that with examining all of the small joys that life can bring.
I hope that you will join me in my contemplations and examinations while I share my little perspective on the little things... perhaps one day all of these little things will add up and I will be content, satisfied and fulfilled.
The theme of my blog, once my best friend Lori helps me to figure out how to put it all together, shall be based on the majestic peacock and all of the symbolism that is attached to this fabulous and showy bird. I will continue to live my life as I have always thought I did, by being open to everything and anything that comes my way; in this way, I shall be imitating the peacock by holding my heart on my sleeve and being open to new opportunities in the same way that the peacock chooses to be open to the world by displaying all of his plumage rather than hiding his beautiful feathers to himself. So, watch out world, because here I come!
This new journey of mine shall include an appreciation and contemplation of the smaller pleasures in life that are often taken for granted; thus, you might find me writing about a smile passed between me and a stranger on the metro, the wonderful moment when a spoonful of a carefully selected and self-served frozen yogurt slowly dissolves in my mouth, or even of a friendly and fluffy cat sitting in my lap while I am typing. I shall be sharing my thoughts and feelings while describing the moment to you in great detail so that perhaps you can get some joy out of my magical moments as well!
I am now and ever shall be on a quest to find all of the happiness I possibly can in every single situation that I find myself in. At the same time, I am aware that my heart shall be broken and trampled upon a thousand times simply because I shall be keeping it so exposed and vulnerable, but I will counter that with examining all of the small joys that life can bring.
I hope that you will join me in my contemplations and examinations while I share my little perspective on the little things... perhaps one day all of these little things will add up and I will be content, satisfied and fulfilled.
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