Snow is beautiful when it is fresh and white. After a few days, as with white clothes, snow becomes dirty from dust, mud and exhaust. This is snow at its most unsightly. Brown and dirty. I wish they melt and disappear. But when they do, it would be wet everywhere and children would get all wet and filthy when they play outdoors. Hence, the invention of mud pants. Totally unheard of in the tropics, no one could blame my lack of knowledge for Matschhose (mud pants in German). I was given less than a day's notice by his teacher to get a pair for Johann so he could play outdoors the next day. I didn't even know where to buy one to begin with! Besides, with less than four hours of sleep the night before, I was too broken to go anywhere anymore on that day because I was woken up twice in the middle of the night, to the cries of Johann and Enzian, who vomited on their bed, the sofa and the carpet floor. You can gather what I had to do after they vomited.
As I laid on the sofa nursing my sleep-deprived body and cracking my head on how to still get the pants for Johann, I thought of a friend who might be able to help.
Johann in mud pants. The size fits perfectly!
After I sent her an SMS, there was nothing more I could do then but to just wait for her reply, hopefully with good news. She called me after her office hours and told me she had organised 2 pairs of mud pants in 2 different sizes, 4 jackets, a pair of insulated and water-proof mittens, a ear and head band and 2 winter caps for Johann. They are all used, but they are all in excellent condition. To make me feel more grateful, she was going to bring them over to me the next morning, before she leaves for work, before Johann goes to the kindergarten. She even tops the big bag of clothes with a bag of home-baked christmas cookies.
I think something is very wrong here. I am very, very worried if there was going to be some bad things that are coming to me soon. Too many good things, far too many, have been happening to me, to my family. I have great in-laws, a great auntie, great neighbours and now great friends. I am receiving too much and giving back too little. I am so very afraid. While I try to give back, I find I am so limited in so many ways. But I am trying, god, please believe me, I am. Please don't let bad things come to us. I will give back, I will.
You can teach all your guardian angels some Chinese or English, do manicure and pedicure for them, cook traditional Chinese food and share with them on Chinese festivals. You can even extend the spirit of giving to all others and be a blessing to your community. The bad will not befall the good, gracious and giving.
ReplyDeleteYour never giving dajie, haha