My regular readers might remember that earlier this year I became responsible for the seniors group at my church.
It was a small group to start with and some days our numbers dropped to a very discouraging three or four people as winter flus, mental health issues and other concerns took their toll. A few more have been coming along as the weather has warmed up and today, the last meeting of the year, everyone was there.
Despite being the "leader" of the group, I had no idea everyone would bring a Kris kringle gift. It had crossed my mind to organise a gift swap but we had one for the "birthday morning" only a few weeks ago and I decided against another. Oh well.
There was Christmas cake and shortbread at morning tea and Liam came along to play guitar for carol singing. I gave a short talk about biblical figure Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist.
I brought along a borrowed book to return to it's owner and she told me it wasn't a loan but a gift. It wasn't so long ago that the same woman made a remark so cutting that I had to repair the damage with the best part of a pack of chocolate biscuits (and there was I thinking I wasn't an emotional eater)
Her apparent change of heart was a compliment to rival many others.
Her change of heart was indeed a HUGE compliment. And deserved.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteSo, did they all swap and you were the only one who did not get a gift?...only fair. Is there no record of what the last leader did? Will you have meetings the first of the year? Was the woman's remark about the book? Chocolate cookies do mend hurts. At least, so far I have found it to be true.
ReplyDeleteThey did swap gifts without me, which I am ok with, just a bit embarrassed. There are people who tell me what is normally done but I suppose they didn't think of the Kris Kringle. We start up again at the end of January which is when the summer school holidays end and everything everywhere starts to pick up. There will probably be a couple of casual coffee mornings in between because for some of them it is their only social outlet. The comment was a personal one. Funnily enough I don't even remember what it was but I know it stung!
DeleteIt's a real boost when someone has a change of heart like that, and all the bad feeling dissolves. I've fallen out with an old friend who took exception to some of my views. But I don't expect a change of heart any time soon.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of marriages dissolving over the Trump presidency, which I understand totally. Most times though it is better to agree to disagree
DeleteThanks to this post, I learnt a new phrase Chris Kringle!
ReplyDeleteI wish that a couple of people I know here too have change of hearts!
I can't imagine any body not liking you!
DeletePolitics!
DeleteMy birding group is similar. I've had 26 individuals participate. Usually 7 -10 attend. It's a supportive group. we are having coffee and cake on sat.
ReplyDeleteCoffee, cake and bird watching sounds like a good morning!
DeleteVery nice to have that compliment, and as EC said, well deserved. Kudos to you for leading the seniors group. Many seniors don't have much to look forward to; regular get-togethers can be very important to their all-around health.
ReplyDeleteI find chocolate to have medicinal properties, too :)
I take chocolate for my overall health! ;)
DeleteA close friend said very hurtful, snide things that all centered around her having more money than I do. The last thing she said was that I was a hypochondriac for looking on the internet for a diagnoses.
ReplyDeleteWell, I suppose she was too busy counting her money to mind her health. She did anything the doctor said with no questions or trepidation. I warned her about a course of action that the doctor was taking. She assured me he was a good doctor. Well, he wanted her to wait ten days when he diagnosed a blood infection to go to blood doctor. She almost died but ruined her kidneys and ended up in end stage renal failure.
After her last cruel remark, I never spoke to her again. And, she died because of a kidney complication and infection. I never spoke to her again.
Her husband knew something happened between us. However, I told him after she died what she said. He cried. So did I.
She also ate Snickers candy bars when her blood sugar fell. Her weight rose to over 600 lbs. But, she cut me short when I told her he did not mean eat so many.
The rift was never mended. I feel bad about that and not knowing she was slowly dying. However, I can only take so much abuse, even from an ill person that I am not related to at all.
You are lucky you got some sort of closure.
What a sad tale! I think that when someone is dying it is good to see them one last time, even if you are not very friendly. The closure makes a difference.
DeleteYour friend seems to have made some poor choices but it is hard to know what motivates some people
I know she is very old but I never realised that Queen Elizabeth II is the mother of John the Baptist as well as Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward. Good on you for your ongoing support for older people in your neighbourhood.
ReplyDeleteYou obviously haven't been doing enough bible study or you would know!
Delete:)