Year of Goodness. The Little Things.
I am back on deck after a few days with my Grand Daughters! I know I was able to add a lot of goodness to their lives and they to mine!
When my Aunt and I were talking the other day I told her a story Dad repeated to me several times and she was able to add some extra details.
Since we moved to the farm I was blessed with two years where Dad would call in very often for a cup of tea. He would be going past as he had land on each side so on his working day it was nothing to drive by a few times. Over our cups of tea I heard, several times, about when he was a little boy he had a favourite Aunty who would come to visit with a tray of fruit yeast buns.
Dad was terribly shy as a kid and known to hide in the back yard when strangers came. But he loved Aunty Biddy. She would arrive with fresh buns that she had baked. Aunty Jill added that Aunty Biddy lived in a tin shed in the outback. Yet she cooked up a storm and made Dad's favourite buns.
The thing that is mind blowing is Dad was telling me about Aunty Biddy's buns almost EIGHT YEARS later, as though it was last week. And he praised Aunty Biddy over and over. He clearly loved her.
My Aunt and I laughed saying well those buns must have been good, getting five star reviews eighty years on!
I just loved the smile and happiness, the fond recollection, as Dad told me these stories. Auntie Biddy's goodness made a very lasting impression.
Andy and I were talking about a similar thing. We are the same age and both our Nan's made biscuits they called Cockles. They were two small biscuits stuck together with beautiful pink icing. When we went away on holidays both our Nan's would send big jars (or sometimes a tin) of these biscuits. We are both in our fifties yet this is still a favourite memory for both of us! Heading off on a family holiday with a giant jar of Cockles. Nan made the pink icing the softest baby pink. This colour still is dreamy to me. Now as an adult I realise the amount of biscuits she made probably took the best part of a day. But she did it so often. The jar of Cockles in the back of the car was as good as the trip itself!
These are memories of something so full of kindness that our childhood hearts were blessed to the extend that we will never forget.
These ladies had busy lives. Aunty Biddy living in her shed on the edge of the desert... imagine. Yet cheerful and kind and always helping others. This is goodness. Goodness has nothing to do with money, how much you do or don't have. Mother Teresa said that we cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things with great love. I think that is it. Small kindnesses with great love can be so dear to someone that eighty years later they are still talking about it!
While the girls were here I think I witnessed such a kindness. Harper is mad on horses. I thought this might be in theory only as I wasn't sure she had actually been up close to a horse!
My niece Allie has horses and she offered to give Harper a ride as a surprise. So on Monday evening after Allie got home from work we headed off to her place. I told the girls it was an adventure and they had no idea there was a horse at the other end.
When we got there they were excited to see Allie and she led them out to the paddock where she had her quietest most gentle horse yarded up.
Harper was not afraid of that horse. She was just beside herself with excitement.
My fifth -grade teacher, Mrs. Remington, did not have very good "teacher" handwriting. At age 10, I did. The minute she saw my writing, she asked if I would write the date on the blackboard every morning...which I did for the rest of the year. This was in September 1955. My school experiences, up to that time, had been mostly unremarkable, but I'd had a rough time the last semester of fourth grade with a teacher who took one look at me and decided I was, at best, average. (At the end of the year, I tested highest in the class in reading, spelling and history, despite almost complete teacher neglect). The simple act of Mrs. Remington asking me to write the date on the blackboard set the tone for the entire school year and made me feel that i really was worth something! (Which I proved over and over that year and afterward).
ReplyDeleteThe power of a good teacher!! In our family we have experienced the wonders of a good teacher and also the damage of a terrible one. Both lasting effects. That was so morale boosting! (Full of goodness!) xxx
DeleteMy late Uncle lived in the family home. As we lived down the road I used to see him slot. He always had time for all his nieces and nephews. At the kitchen sink there were 3 taps. Whenever we asked what came out of the middle one he said lemonade and low and behold a glass of it would appear. I also have lovely memories of my nanas shortbread. It was so delicious. I think often food brings back memories because they connect us to those we love.
ReplyDeleteMandy(NZ)
I love the lemonade tap! He sounds like such a nice man. Yes it seems to me food is central to a lot of good memories and family things. Maybe taste and smell add something as they say the sense of smell invokes many memories and that is true for me. Sometimes a scent reminds you of something and it takes a while to remember just what but it is really a strong reminder.xxx
DeleteFive years ago were staying in the Pen Club in London, and had just come back from sightseeing. My husband was tired out and was resting in our room and I was in the dining room by myself making a cup of tea when my phone rang. It was my sister ringing from Lincolnshire to tell me that my mother had died suddenly that afternoon. I suddenly found that tears were streaming down my face and turned hurriedly away as someone walked into the room. It was a lovely young woman who was touring Britain with her family I found out later. She asked me if I was alright, and then left and returned quickly with her mum, who was carrying the younger ladies baby. The younger lady hugged me and asked again why I was so upset and I blurted out that I’d just heard that my mum had died that day. I was so embarrassed but they were both so very kind. The older lady asked if I’d mind holding the baby girl while they made fresh tea. Automatically I cuddled and rocked the baby and soon realised that holding her was slowly calming and soothing me. It was so very kind of them to go out of their way as they did to comfort a complete stranger. I didn’t see the them again as they had very early flights the next day, but I have never forgotten their kindness and generosity - or the feel and scent of that little baby girl, bathed and ready for bed.
ReplyDeleteFive years ago when my husband was in a coma for ten days person after person came to the hospital and told me of kind thigs he had done for them and how much they appreciated him. I had no idea but oh how it blessed me and gave me hope!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad was an 'afterthought' child meaning he was born 17 years after his twin brothers and my Grandmother really did not want to be bothered with him. But, his Grandmother made pancakes for him every Saturday morning. He would get up and go over to her house and there he was wanted and doted on. It filled him up with goodness for the week.
Growing up we had the kindest neighbors. They were Italian and very friendly and hospitable. The mother would make big pot of sauce. If she saw us walking home from school. She would call out to us to come and get a piece of bread and give us sauce to dip it in. It was heavenly and I have never tasted anything as good.
ReplyDeleteHer husband carried “ BLACK JACK “ gum in his pocket. When he would see us , he would give my sister and I a piece. We grew up without a dad. If he saw a need he just filled it. Many times he would fix my bike or help me with something a dad would do. You never know how much a simple act of kindness impacts someone.
Lynd
Growing up we had the kindest neighbors. They were Italian and very friendly and hospitable. The mother would make big pot of sauce. If she saw us walking home from school. She would call out to us to come and get a piece of bread and give us sauce to dip it in. It was heavenly and I have never tasted anything as good.
ReplyDeleteHer husband carried “ BLACK JACK “ gum in his pocket. When he would see us , he would give my sister and I a piece. We grew up without a dad. If he saw a need he just filled it. Many times he would fix my bike or help me with something a dad would do. You never know how much a simple act of kindness impacts someone.
Lynd
Seeing Harper reminded me of when my daughter had her horse. She would have been about 12 at the time. There was a little girl about 4 years old in town who would always stand and watch Leslie ride by on her horse. One day my daughter stopped and asked her if she would like to ride. The parents were outside and okayed it. So off they went. It was a slow ride and fairly short, but sure made an impression. When it was time for the dismount, the little girl leaned over and kissed my daughter right in the middle of her back. It's funny how a brief act of kindness can make someone's day. Even a 4-year-old. BTW, my daughter loved horses from the time she was tiny and took naturally to riding (not from my genes for sure). I have a feeling your Harper may be one of those horse-lovers. Look at that face! It sure made my day.
ReplyDeleteThat is just precious, Annabel. I love Harper's smile. I don't have time to write a long story , but suffice t to say that I have many, many wonderful memories of my maternal grandparents. My grandfather played games and taught me tool using skills and my grandmother cooked and baked with me and taught me to crochet etc. Every time I was there I felt special and loved.
ReplyDeleteI struggled tremendously with my weight as a kid. I even started dieting at 10 years old! I went to a summer camp around that time. The counselor that I was assigned to challenged us to add something to our name to describe us. The nickname had to start with the same letter as our first name. "Jellybean Jason" is the name my brother chose. But I was at a loss. What goes with Leslie? This very handsome counselor chose "Luscious Leslie" for me! I am now 50, and am still flattered by a kind man's silly nickname for that self-conscious chubby girl of 10.
ReplyDeleteGod is good!
Blessings, Leslie
My sister and I were raised in our grandparents home, they did not have alot of money, but both my sister and I loved this particular brown bread Grandad sometimes got from the local store (this was in Portugal), it was a rare occasion as my grandmother always baked bread. Sometimes I would ask Grandad to buy us the bread, my mother and grandmother would get angry and say we cant afford it, but later that day Grandad would come home with a small loaf just for my sister and I. He was a great man, who had very little money but an abundant amount of love and kindness. Other times he would tell my grandmother to make tiny loaves of bread just for us, she would always say it was a waste of time and that he was spoiling us, but oh how we loved those tiny loaves and how much we both adored him. Thanks for the wonderful memories you have brought back of a man that was one in a million.
ReplyDeleteEach Friday I would head to my Auntie & Uncle for the weekend (Mum was a single mother of 2) and each week we would sit and top and tail the fresh beans that someone bought into her, This was our time to talk over the week and I think from memory I was around 7 at the time. My Aunt has been in a nursing home for around 7 or 8 years now with dementia and I so miss the time we used to spend. Each Christmas I make a recipe that she handed down of coffee balls as a gift to some friends and neighbours.
ReplyDeleteAt my late Brother's funeral, each of his work colleagues came up to share a memory of him and the Principal of the school wrote to me and shared her own memory. This will stay with me for many years to come
Aly xxx
I remember an English lady who lived kitty corner from my family. Her children were grown and lived out of state. For many years, she gave the youngest children in our family handmade Christmas gifts each year. And my family was very large. Being child #12 of 14 children, well, I often felt as if I were not important and not special, just another one of the kids. But at Christmastime, I always knew I mattered to Mrs. Davies. One year for Christmas this precious woman made me a soft doll that looked like me, with a small wardrobe of hand sewn dresses. I will never forget Mrs. Davies’ kind attention and loving hand made gifts. One year she made me pillows in the shape of my initials, another year she made me a giant stuffed animal, and the last gift I received from her was a stained glass angel ornament that, again, looked like me. I unfortunately no longer have the doll, pillows, and stuffed animal. But I still have the angel ornament: a lovely reminder of a gracious lady overflowing with goodness that shone in her kind attention to a shy little girl.
ReplyDeleteDear Annabel, this is an excellent post and has given us a lovely thing to think about. I have that same quote by Mother Theresa in a small frame in my spare bedroom. One birthday of mine long ago when I was a busy working young lady, a workmate left the most perfect little round apple (sourced from his lunchbox when he found out it was my birthday) on my desk with a tiny perfectly tied little red ribbon. It was a beautiful surprise and one of my favorite birthday gifts of all time. You are leaving a powerful legacy Annabel, within your family and also with us, it is inspiring to me. Love Clare
ReplyDeleteWhat a special post, Annabel. My Nanna falls in to the same category as your Dads Aunt. So much of my day now, is a distinct replica of her life at my age. Rising early, tending the rosebushes, snipping a few herbs, baking, sewing, embroidering, making the most of a simple life. It's no one thing that steers me, but rather her overarching example. She was patient, kind, hard working, gentle hearted, and I don't recall her ever having a harsh word....with anyone. And yes...we still talk about her cooking, and she left us 51 years ago. That's a legacy. Much love. Mimi
ReplyDeleteThis was so beautiful to read and gave me a big smile today, thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother (I called her Ami, not her actual name, but apparently that was my name for her when I started talking) was one of those amazing sources of goodness and kindness. Whenever I visited and no matter how small I was, she would always pour out a cup of herbal tea into one of her beautiful rose-pattern china teacups from Germany and sit at the table with me for a long visit. After I turned 18, it was sometimes a little fruit wine in her beautiful antique wineglasses. She kept zinnias and sweet william in her yard and made homemade chocolate sauce for ice cream and took me huckleberry picking every summer, where she would also teach me about all the plants we passed by. In the country, she would wake me up early to go walk barefoot through the dew on the grass, and cooked my favorite meal whenever I stayed overnight (the first night of my stay). She worked in the library and was always bringing books for me to read - my lifelong love of books is completely her work. Always kind, patient, beautiful, gentle, and very capable - I miss her every day and am thankful for the legacy of goodness and kindness she gave us.
<3
Kathy