The following is my mom's
maternal advice to me:
If you don't ask for something, even a mom won't give it to you!
The following is Craigley's
mathematical advice to me:
If you ask for something, there is a 50% chance you might get it!
It is always easier said than
done.
Right now, I am in the middle
of a massive asking from Hans' school community. As a Co-Chair with G, I am
asking for monetary donations with a goal of raising $25K. As a partner on the
Holiday Skate Team with Craigley, I am asking for charitable donations for a
Special Needs school. As a Classroom Parent, I am asking for money for the
teacher's gift. There seems to be no end to the asking.
But, isn't it the season of giving?! And yet, there isn't much of
giving at all!!
Maybe we picked the wrong time to ask?!
The radio in Craigley's car
has a station that is asking for money. The TV has commercials that are asking
for money. My Inbox has email that is asking for money. It is like everywhere I
turn, someone is asking for something.
It doesn't matter if it is the wrong time to ask, ask I must. It is
like once one embarks on a path, there is no turning back however futile the
journey maybe.
In all this asking, I have
felt quite frustrated. It is almost like I am the poster child for asking at
Hans' school. I am sure some of the parents probably try to avoid me even
though I have never asked anyone face to face to contribute anything to the
school. If anything, I take the opportunity to thank people.
Anyways, the nicest thing
that happened recently was related to the $25K ask. I wanted to send a paper
copy home for those parents who still like receiving paper and writing cheques.
Email can be a hassle for some and online donations are looked on suspiciously
still. I was told it was a waste of time and maybe even a waste of paper. But I
was on the path already and I had to make sure I did everything to reach the
destination even if it seems unreachable.
While I was photocopying and
wondering how long it would take me to fold the paper and put it in an envelope
and write something pretty on the top of it, I got help without asking. We have
a temporary secretary at school. She came out of retirement just to assist our
new Principal while our regular secretary was away on medical leave. Just this
one fact about her is a testament to her character. She drives all the way from
Bracebridge to Toronto on Monday mornings and goes back home on Friday. She
doesn't have to do it, but she is doing it because someone needed her and asked
her for her help.
I am so glad she decided to
help out at our school. This woman is amazing. She got me the required
envelopes without hassling me for how the School Council should pay for their
replacement. She also told me to not be silly about writing on 190 odd
envelopes. She proceeded to print out labels for me. Then, she helped me with
the folding of paper and stuffing of envelopes.
I did not ask her for help.
She just helped me. I am not sure if she felt sorry for me. I am not sure of
any of her reasons for helping me and they don't really matter. It is how she
made me feel. I felt like someone cared and the task at hand became enjoyable.
Even if we get to the $25K we are asking, I will forever remember the few
minutes on the way there where I got help without asking for it.
A long time ago, I read a poem titled “Someone’s mother” or something
like that. In that poem the narrator helps this elderly lady and at the end, he
has a hope that someone does the same for his mother. And that’s my hope as
well! I want the boys to know that someone has already helped their mother and
I hope they do the same for someone’s mother.
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