There are a lot of people I admire.
I admire moms.
They are a unique group, these moms, couriering their children to hockey, to baseball, to soccer, to piano and violin lessons and then figuring out about a million different ways to make hamburger for supper.
And then, when all their work is done, they head to the gym and work out until their poor muscles are screaming in protest.
And then they go home and do it all over again.
And I’m thinking, “How do they do it?”
And then I think back to my days as a young mom but my memories blur into moments. Laundry, mountains of it, music, loud and constant, a little black dog sleeping in a pool of sunshine in the living room, and a ringing telephone. In the distance, I see a jumble of running shoes at the door and bikes dropped carelessly in the yard and I hear laughter.
And I was happy!
I loved those days, probably even more so after they had slipped into the time zone we call yesterday.
I admire musicians!
I am a fortunate person because my world is filled with talented musicians who have the unique and special ability to make piano keys dance and guitar strings hum.
And sometimes when the day has come and gone and the night lingers, soft and warm, my living room becomes alive with the sounds of music.
It makes me happy.
I have a guitar in the corner of my living room beside the piano. It’s an old guitar and it seldom gets played. But there was a time when it was played until the wee hours of the morning. The guitar player had no pick, only a bread wrapper, and he seldom knew a song all the way through.
And I miss him.
But, that was yesterday and yesterday’s gone. Now the musicians who fill my life are cool and wonderful and I know I am most lucky.
I admire people who live in nursing homes.
I especially admire these dear souls. Every Friday my sister and I visit our brother in the nursing home. It is quiet there. You can hear people’s footsteps, you can hear the creak of a wheelchair, wheels moving slowly. Mostly, you can hear the sounds of silence.
I am always surprised by the gratitude the residents show for any act of kindness shown them. Opening a door so they can push their wheelchair through brings a smile of gratitude. Handing them an ashtray in the smoking area, helping them manuever their wheelchair around a corner or over a bump does as well.
And I have discovered the kindness of taking the time for a once a week visit for a few short hours is repaid to me in many ways.
I admire volunteers.
This week I was fortunate enough to cover a volunteer dinner.
It was truly humbling to see the gathering of volunteers. As everyone who volunteers knows it is the same people who do the work of many over and over again.
For me, the highlight of the evening was the desserts. Oh my goodness, there were so many, and they were so delectable; so mouthwateringly delicious.
Seriously though, the highlight was not the desserts, but a young Grade 7 student who gave a short, but heartfelt speech about why he volunteers.
In conclusion he said he volunteers because he believes he makes a difference and that makes a difference in his life.
That young man didn’t know this, but in telling his story, he just made the list of people I admire.
I admire young people who want to make a difference.
They are truly admirable!