Monday, March 1, 2010

Kindness.



I was back to feeling a mite jaded again this weekend after a number of kind of unpleasant little irritants, all on the same theme.

I think I don't want to go into it all, cause it isn't really what I want to talk about.

What I want to talk about is not all the million mosquitos of irritation are soaring around my head, but rather how wonderful my walk in the mountains was today.

It was warm, it was sunny, it was beautiful.  The almond trees are in bloom and so are the cherries.  There is nothing that is beautiful in quite the same way.  I found my first asparagus of the season and I was in heaven.  They are so very very good.  I ate it raw and right after I picked it. Yum.

Heaven.

I threw pinecones for the dog who was utterly ecstatic.  It is very hard to be grumpy when the mutt is so utterly happy.  I found a second asparagus.

Then I saw a man climbing up the hill towards me.  In his hands he had a big bunch of asparagus and a second smaller bunch.  I laughingly exclaimed over his luck and noted my pathetic tally of two.  Guess what.  He gave me the smaller bunch of them.  I don't think he can know how much that meant to me.  A gift of delicious fresh food, rare and the first days they are up.  Honestly though.  Restored my faith utterly.

In men anyway.

A simple act of kindness.  It is so cliched now, but sometimes.... sometimes..... it really can make such a difference.  I went through the rest of my day and into this evening a much happier and kinder person.  Much.

and, tomorrow morning, truita d'esparac!

12 comments:

Beth said...

It maybe a cliché, but oh so true.

Love this visual! “…the million mosquitoes of irritation are soaring around my head…”

Lynda said...

Lovely story. As I think you have twigged, I have been struggling with find my 'way' in this new place. It still feels so raw. Last week I baked Raisin Buns - they were fantastic (if I do say so myself) and I had too many. So I gave a basket of them to my neighbour across the street. His response when he returned the empty basket has kept me happy ever since. It felt so nice to just do something without awaiting a response. Wild Asparagus! Holy cow.. I wonder if it grows anywhere in Germany.. better keep my eyes peeled.

And I am trying to get rid of the Disqus comments... not so easy. hits are way up but comments are way down. And I love me some comments! LOL

Beth said...

I'm immediately sending you several bunches of Virtual Wild Asperagus (TM) using my amazing mental powers that allow me to send imaginary, yet tasty, vegetables all over the world.

I hope this restores your faith in the niceness of the female of the species.

No need to thank me. It's my pleasure, srsly.

J.G. said...

What luck for you! And it probably made his day to see you so happy.

mmichele said...

Those are going to taste SO good.

Anonymous said...

What I wouldn't do for almond trees in bloom right now! Am green with envy and, if I close my eyes, I can almost taste the wild aspargus!GM

Angel said...

its the little things that mean alot, isn;t it?

oreneta said...

Beth, glad you like it, I'm swatting the b*stards as fast as I can, but still....

Lynda, I am sorry you're having a rough time, this expat thing isn't always fun is it. Glad your raisin buns worked out, maybe when I get a house and an oven we can start having people over more and see where it goes.....discus. I just find it sad when I can't comment.

Beth, thank you so much for virtual asparagus. It was so lovely. you are so kind, and such a lovely example of women, at least the North American kind.

JG, I hope so, cause he made more than just mine.

Mmichele, they did, and so did the three or four I found today and nibbled on raw. Mmmmm. There seem to be two types, green ones and ones with an edge of purple. The purple types grab at my throat a bit, kind of drying but still delicious.

GM, soon soon soon you'll get spring too.

Beth, yes they do, though seems the asparagus meant more to me than it would to you, no?

Vancouver Isle Doug said...

So cool about your gift of asparagus. So often it is the little things that seem so simple that really make a person's day.

oreneta said...

Doug, so true. If you were around, I'd give you some asparagus too...more fun, I'd go on one of your walks with you and maybe we'd find some! I never had in Canada

Hula Girl at Heart said...

Fresh asparagus? Sigh. I am so jealous. I think I would have kissed him on the cheek.

oreneta said...

I almost could have done that here.....