Christmas Cheer

I think I’ve been hit with the realization, this year in particular, that Christmas should be about sharing your love, sharing your wealth, and making sure the people you care about know that you care about them. So this year, I want to tell people I love them through sharing food that I’ve made for them.

Although life has been pretty tough on my end, even in this time of year, I believe that I’m an optimist and I like to think that no matter how distant and stranger-ish people can seem… you’re only a short conversation away from making a friend. When you see someone, perhaps a confused husband picking up a necklace for their spouse (or lover), a teenager shopping directionless looking for a present for their mom… or a guy trying on a new coat at H&M deciding whether to buy it or not. Why don’t you try telling them, “oh you look great in that coat!” or “Yep, that would be great for your mom” or…if you see 2 Asian guys at Holt Renfrew at the Louis Vuitton section (I was only looking I swear!)… and you see them pick out a typical LV monogrammed bag… OBVIOUSLY for their girlfriends… tell them “it’s not worth it. Save your money. Write them a heart felt letter or something.”

Anyway. I like to think that I’ve been trying to be a do-gooder. Not only does it make myself feel good (possibly mainly the reason why I do it) I like to think that it helps people too…it makes their day somehow.

An elderly man walked onto the bus and sat right beside me and exclaimed, “I made it!” as soon as he sat down with a huge smile on his face. That made me really appreciate how able I was and how young I was and how I should be happy with the little things in life. When I was limping around when I had hurt my knee sporting a pimpin’ cane (hobbling cane more like) I felt the same way. I felt as if I could yell, “I made it!” when I got to my seat on the bus, or when I made it up the stairs without the cane. I actually saw a guy that hurt his right knee and was hopping on one leg across the street wincing in pain. I ran after him and asked him if he was okay. No one did that for me when I hurt myself. (People in Vancouver can be so cold… )I just felt like he would have liked it if someone showed a little bit of concern. How soon we forget to take delight in these seemingly irrelevant acts.

So I decided today, I would show how much I like my bus drivers (for today: number 210 and number 17 specifically). 

If you two are reading this. I’d like to say. I really really appreciate that you are doing a service to Vancouver, in getting people to work every day, and bringing people home safely. You have brought me to work on countless number of occasions, you have saved me from walking 20 blocks in the rain, you have brought me on time to job interviews, and brought me home when I’ve had too much to drink. I know that no one really dreams of becoming a bus driver while they’re 10 years old, and it’s never seems to be a dream career for anyone. (I may be wrong) So remember to take delight in the passions that you do have, and the joys that you thrive on because whether it be family, music, sculpture, painting, hockey or wine tasting… golf maybe? Enjoy the time you have this holiday season and I really hope you have some great days at work. Hopefully more people show how much they appreciate your work this holiday season, rather than making your days more frustrating. I know the constant slew of passengers can get tiring. People putting in tickets the wrong way, crazies coming on the bus, obnoxious people, and people talking too loudly on their cell phones that can make things hard, but I hope at least…the few cookies I gave you today, helped make the day a little shorter.

Oh and by the way, those were Spelt Linzer cookies with Peanut butter and Wild Blueberry Jam (my mom picked them from Cypress Mountain). The cookies came out a little crunchier than I wanted them to, but they still taste pretty good I think…

I gave a few cookies to my lovely, awesome, talented hair stylist Sara at Rain salon. She was amazing, cool and gave me the best haircut ever. Thank you so much, I hope you see you again in the new year!

Aaron, I will most definitely make the White Chocolate Coconut Mousse pie and I’ll bring it by for you to taste!

Happy Holidays people, and keep sharing the holiday spirit! Who are you going to thank, and who are you going to tell you like/appreciate/love them?