Hiatus

Baby Einstein, Jellyfish gymboree,
Budding Beethovens,
Bubbles 1, 2 and 3.

Signing babies camp,
Kickstart, Pre-ballet,
Kodaly–Orff Music: Sing! Dance! Play!

Intro to T-ball, Yoga for toddlers,
Little tots Sports,
Little kickers.

Sportball Junior,
Rink Rats, children’s tennis,
Merry Music for Babies,
Busy Little Elves,
Parent and Pee Wee pottery,
Tot Skills Soccer, Mini World Cup,
Parent and Tot ballet,
Mini Maestros, Preschool Pop,
Musical Munchkins,
Karate Parent and tot,

“STOP!”
says my child.

And I look up in amazement. My son has grown up.

-MO

Joiners

Imagine if
You entered in to every situation
Thinking
This will be good
How interesting

When instructed -"Here - Do this"
You said
Yes, sure
Of course I will
Who wouldn't

You'd wonder from place to place
Person to person
Activity to activity
With curiosity and openness

Every little gesture of good will
Every gift, no matter how small
Would be met with surprised gratitude

Imagine if
You didn't have to ...Imagine if

Ninety-nine percent politeness

We went camping on the May long week-end. Anne took us to her “secret spot” campsite, which was a little piece of wilderness paradise. There was a small rocky beach alongside a fast-flowing river, a backdrop of mountains and, the weather was kind. On our last morning, as we were cleaning and packing up, a man and his dog walked in. I stopped what I was doing and took in his unshaven face, soiled jacket, three silver earrings and his can of coke. I think I said hello when he cheerfully greeted us. Anne didn’t stop washing her plates, as she greeted him and chatted with him, in her characteristic open, friendly manner. I watched the dog sniff around our tents, and then relieve himself on a bush nearby as I continued with my packing and listened to the conversation between Anne and this man. After about 10 minutes, he bid us farewell and left. A little bit later, Anne told me she had been trying to see if the man really had cola in his can, or something stronger, and what did I think. This made me realize and appreciate another one of her life skills. While Anne was open and friendly, she was from the outset assessing him, and the act of conversation was allowing her to gather more information and to judge whether he was harmless or not. I, on the other hand, followed my own automatic response: become very reserved, give maybe one or two monosyllabic replies, and communicate an “I’ll say hello, but that’s it” air so that the person moves on. This has always been my “survival technique”, which I admit, isn’t always effective nor civil. Secondly, Anne’s conversation with this man was so disarming that I was about to offer him a danish to have with his coke (which I never for a second imagined could be anything other than a coke) and if I had, Anne might have had a little seizure as she was during this time also assessing how long it would take to get rid of this man. In the end, all was well, because the man was indeed harmless, and he left, probably with a positive feeling of humanity from his exchange with Anne. Anne also told me that she always felt fairly secure, because she wasn’t alone, and who knows what she(we) would have done if the circumstances were different. But I’d like to remember this: in 99% cases, meeting a stranger is an opportunity to be polite and to show a friendly, human side while quietly assessing and being prepared for the unexpected.


-MO

Decadence

Warm bath water
Cocoons your body
Wide expectant eyes
Waiting for the next spoonful
As I feed you like a baby bird
Pink strawberry milk
Drips down your chin
Joyous anticipation
Of tomorrow night's hockey game with Dad

-ag

Homily for First Communion

My son Luke had his first communion a couple of weeks ago, and this occasion called for one of my rare appearances at church. As I sat in the congregation, and listened to the priest's sermon, I was struck by how bad it was. In his characteristic monotone, he lamented a world that was becoming secular and pagan, and he rebuked parents for shirking their responsibility to set a good example for their child(ren) by going to church and praying regularly. I am agnostic, but I can see an opportunity for an inspiring homily, especially at a child's first communion. So, I gave myself the challenge of preparing a homily that, I would have appreciated and might have made me want to attend church a little more often.

Homily for First Communion

We are gathered here today to celebrate a very special day in the upbringing of your child in the Roman Catholic Faith.

In a world that is becoming increasingly secular, some people wonder about the relevance of the Church or even, the relevance of God. In our modern world, the spiritual meanings of holidays are fading fast in the wake of the more commercial attributes. In our modern world, the terminology used in Roman Catholic teaching may at times seem esoteric and outdated. When we talk about The Shepherd protecting his flock, there will be children and even adults who have never met a shepherd in their lives, and cannot appreciate the metaphor that was once so perfect and clear. A child may wonder why do I have to be a sheep? I'd rather be a lion or, I'd like to be a dolphin!

Is the Church relevant today? Is God relevant today? I say YES! Of Course! Now, as always! Since the beginning of all civilizations, men and women have looked for guidance, for inspiration and for answers. It is human and it is within all of us, beginning in our children who these days look for guidance and inspiration in athletes and pop stars. It is our nature; it is our need.

God gave us a hero. And He showed us and inspired us to live in goodness and love. So, as long as there exists the potential for human weakness, cruelty and suffering in this world, as long as there exists the potential for anything that makes men and women less than they are meant to be, there will be a need for God. God is Light where there is darkness. Or, even more simply put, God is Good. The origin of the English phrase "Good-bye" is often forgotten or unknown, but this blessing is still used everyday, by many. We keep using this old term because it serves a purpose. When we say goodbye, we want someone whom we won't see to be protected by God.

As parents, grandparents, as uncles and aunts, as adults in these young people's lives, it is your responsibility to feed them, to clothe them, to teach them, to protect them, and it is your blessing to love them. These children know all this comes from you and they love you right back, and this is your blessing as well. However, there are things that are beyond your control, beyond your umbrella of protection and love that your child will encounter sooner or later, and they will appreciate having God's Almighty Love to protect them. And in our modern world that is filled with endless possibilities, some of which are questionable at best, teach them the simple, good and inspiring life of Jesus. This is to be the foundation upon which they can build their lives. And if a child can begin his sheltered, happy life under the umbrella of his family's love, imagine the beautiful life the child can enjoy under the Great Umbrella of Jesus' love. Show your children that they can be safe and grow strong standing under your umbrella, but that your umbrella is under a greater, stronger Umbrella, and that you feel comforted because of this. God gave us a Gift and He continues to offer us gifts. And He continues to inspire and to help us. We can be lions or dolphins, and be great in our lives, because we are doing so with the blessing and love of our family and of God.

-MO

Sunday Evenings

When all is said and done
And you feel like there must be more
To do
To be.
Craving a need to command your attention
To stop this constant sense
That you will turn around
And the morsel you just left
Will fill you again
But there is nothing
Just the assumption that there should be something
A little
Something

-AG

Nature of the Beast

I've been helping Anne a bit with her garage cleanup. She often comments somewhat wistfully about the orderliness in my home. I never know what to say, but the other day, I found a photo that says it all.


That's my family at a beach near Montreal. I think it was our very first beach experience. My sister sits smiling beside my mother while my younger brother looks on. And that's me in the background, organizing and tidying our beach spot. I was only 5 years old and already I was a neat freak. While my family was frolicking and enjoying the sand and water, I was incessantly shaking the sand off, re-spreading the towels and putting our shoes neatly in rows. I kept doing that until my father told me to stop and go play.

-MO