Well it is just about that time a year again. 

The time were everyone is stressed,

no can drive right and snow covers everything

making it both cold and a safety hazard to go outside. 

It seems that no matter how well you prepare for it…

it ends up giving you frost bite,

to some degree or another. 

I personally hate winter. 

 I hate cold conditions and falling on the ice. 

 I hate how my bones ache to the chill in the air

 and the glare of the sun on the snow blinds me. 

 If I had my way…

winter would be for three days. 

 Dec. 24th-26^th. 

 Just long enough to keep the spirit of a wintry wonderland for

Christmas. 

 It is then and only then I see the beauty of it all.

Two heart warming stories

To show that in this time

There is still HOPE in this world of ours

To reach out to the ones that are less fortunate than we are

Is a gift from Silent Angels

Reach out to someone that is alone

Wipe away there tears

Bring a smile to their face

Even if it is just for a short moment in time

From this you probably gather that I am just a scrooge

when it comes to winter

I must admiy I do enjoy a few things it has to offer

I often enjoy sledding and snowmobile rides

But most of all L enjoy Hockey season and Christmas

When l was young

I ;oved to ski and skate as well

But with the fragile body l have now

I leave them for others to enjoy now

But do watch for snowballs

I have a pretty good aim too

And the building of igloos/forts or sculptures/snowmen,

Passed our time when we were young as well

A time in my life that l reminisce in

The good memories of those times

would when l am out playing with my two children

And it always brings a smile to my face

Other than the hazardous,

cold conditions and the stress that leads to Christmas,

there is one thing that makes me shudder more than any of it.

It is watching people who are less fortunate

Go through this time of the year

On Friday, my husband, kids and l

went to get out water bottles refilled at the water station

As the kids and l sat in the van waiting as hubby filled the bottles

I looked over the ledge of where we were parked

It is only a 3 foot drop

But there lying half on the grass cuddled to a post

And his feet on the bear stone parking lot space

Was a homeless man

One in which l had seen many times before

He was so still l wondered if he was still breathing

My heart just sunk

Now for me,

I believe there are two types of street people or bums,

As most would call them

Type one is your everyday average

Joe who is just to lazy to do anything on his/her own

or has to depend on others

Then there is type two

These people try so hard to do well and are kind

but seem to be slapped in the face by the world

Every time they think they are finally ahead

As hard as they try

they cannot seem to better the situations

I choose to learn a bit about the person

Before drawing to any conclusions of which type they may be

But this is one of the street people

that I had chatted toa couple of times

And l have a sence of his type

This man, being a father of 3,

was married to a women of high class

Not filthy rich

Just living fairly comfortable

His wife after finding about him losing his job as a welder

Complained he was a no good for nothing

And left with the kids and went back to her parents

It was then he was served with a divorce

Lost custody and the right to see his children

His father dies od a lung disease and he was stripped of his house car and money

due to the divorce

After a year he found himself out on the streets

He has tried finding other jobs but they were hard to come by.

When he did manage to have one

There was an accident at the factory

And he is now a cripple by the event

Too bad it was his first day or maybe workers comp

Would have been more ambitious to help him

Now l watch this man as he tries to catch soon sleep

In the middle of the afternoon on a very cold day

Even if it wasn't winter yet

But l can't help but feel really bad for this person

I see how he looks at children as they pass by.

He looks at a distance and his eyes well up with tears

In turn l well up with the same emotions

Knowingfirst hand how cruel life can be

Today l have to do something

More than giving him spare change or buying a sandwich

When l pass by the store

I jump out of my seat and look in the back for something

I had taken on out last trip in the van

Finding it

I tell the kids to stay put and rush out to the front of the van

I gently tap the man on his arm to get his attention

And hoping to see some movement

Since he hadn't moved since we had got there

He stirs and looks at me not sure what to think

But definitely prepared to take me on if l am intending to hurt him

I take the blanket I had grabbed from the van…

an old one we kept in there in case we had a need for it.

l have many more at home.

“I thought you could use this.

It is getting mighty chilly out here.”

I unfolded the blanket and laid it over his legs.

Again with those eyes he looks up at me

and thanks me as the tears roll down his cheeks.

“No need to thank me,

just glad to help.”

I replied and turned to go back to the van

and return to my kids,

who were watching me from the front window in wonder.

“Hey!” He called out

I turned once more before entering the van.

“For the times you have helped me out,

I wonder why you bother ?

No one has ever been so kind to me.

You must be some kind of Angel.

Thank you.”

I could feel my face go shades of red

but still was able to mutter.

“I am no Angel,

just someone trying to make a difference,

for the better.”

I hop into the van just in time to see hubby

returning to the van with the bottles.

As we leave the man waves to us,

and hubby looks at me inquisitively

and I tell him all about it