Plenty to be thankful for this Christmas
“What I can do is very small, but if I can do it with thankfulness, that would be huge!”
This is a saying I learned while living in Japan, from an esteemed paralyzed former-gymnastics-instructor-turned-mouth-painter named Tomihiro Hoshino from Gunma Prefecture north of Tokyo.
I am not only thankful but overwhelmed with the outpouring of kindness and connection received from Kevin Rothbauer’s wonderful story about my bite-sized gingerbread and table-sized display, in the Christmas Eve edition of the Citizen. I’m grateful for the reminder that small things, including the decision to even try selling cookies, were nurtured by key people and circumstances.
I give full credit to Kerri-Lea Dutrisac as the kindest, most patient AND most persuasive Discovery PAC Craft Fair coordinator ever. She helped me believe that my something-so-small could be so huge!
My customers have also continued to wow me with their kind hearts and support. This year, our pre-Christmas snowfall meant that one of my Victoria orders could not safely be picked up. My customers, Aleta and Greg Hansen, generously agreed to a plan to put those four boxes up for an auction via my Facebook account, with all proceeds, including the original price, to be donated to the CMS Mill Bay Food Bank. Our local winning purchaser, Leslie Grills, made it possible for a combined total of $64 to thus be donated! My glad thanks!
Moreover, I’m so incredibly grateful to share my love of gingerbread to be able to help people in need of cheer. This year we were in extra need of sharing our local and unsinkable (except maybe in milk?) Christmas spirit, so thank you Kevin Rothbauer and the Cowichan Valley Citizen!
Kim Barnard
Shawnigan Lake
