Good sense might have suggested I stay in today. There was snow on the ground and we really don't have any money to be spending right now.
But, there were a couple of things I needed, so I gathered what cash I had together and hopped on to the bus to the next town (hoping it wouldn't slip off the road on an icy patch.)
Once in town one of the first thing I saw was a brass band! They had taken over an empty shop and were setting up to perform in the window. I didn't get to hear a toot out of them, but I did see they were "busking" for donations. The money raised would buy gifts for local needy children.
A I slipped a note into the collection bucket the woman holding it finished a sentence to another man with the words, "... even the bad times are good." The she smiled at me. I said, "God bless." She said, "Thank you - and God bless you!"
A few steps closer to the shopping mall, I saw the Big Issue seller. (Big Issue is a magazine sold by homeless folk.) I've talked to Gabriel lots of times and I know his mother, back in Romania, has a heart problem. I hadn't seen him for weeks. Sure enough, he'd had another emergency phone call and had rushed to Romania fearing he might not get there in time to say goodbye. Thankfully, his mother, while not exactly well, was back in her home.
But for how long he didn't know.
So, we talked a while, then I bought a magazine for way above the cover price. Contributing, I reckoned, towards his next European dash. He shook my hand and said, "God bless you, my friend!"
Well, by the time I reached the shopping mall I didn't have enough money left to buy what I'd set out for. I wandered around for a while, window shopped and people watched. On my way back to the bus stop I counted my money. Not enough to do anything with, but too much to waste. So, I bought Gabriel a tea and a doughnut. On a day like this one I thought he might appreciate the warmth.
He really did!
So, heading home, I could have counted it a wasted day. I'd set out with a little money. I came back with none - and nothing to show for it. But! Some children I would never meet would get gifts. Gabriel's hands would be warmer. I had the happy realisation that my mum was well and only half an hour's walk from my house should I need to get to her. And two people had 'God-blessed' me.
How did I feel? I felt just like the Salvation Army woman had said - "Even the bad times are good!"
- Author Unknown
