When Pam and I first moved here, I remember writing about how nice everyone was to us, from the realtor who helped with the purchase, to the banker who set up new accounts for us and got us credit cards, to our new neighbors and even the law offices who helped with our immigration issues. The postal carrier for our building was helpful and friendly, as was our building manager and various tradespeople who came during our initial months of setup. I took some of this to be, perhaps, partly the West vs. the East coast, partly the Canada vs. US, and partly just being lucky.
These days, a little over three years later, I’m now convinced it wasn’t luck, because the kindness and generosity that we initially met with have continued. This past month, a friend of mine surprised me with lunch and Canucks tickets out of the blue (I won’t embarrass him with naming him, but he knows who he is). For Pam’s birthday a few weeks ago, our neighbor Estelle brought in several vases of flowers, because she was leaving town and though Pam would enjoy them. She also gave Pam tickets to see the Speed Skating trials at the Pacific Coliseum today. Yesterday, my friend DaveO, who was working at the happyfrog.ca booth at the Health Show, gave us free tickets. Last week I visited with two of the first friends I met just as I moved here, Matt and Maktaaq (in fact, I’m happy to have known them even knew them before they were married!), and at their Halloween party, Ryan offered to lend me one of his bicycles.
The frequent generosity of my friends has been seen online in this blog, with offers from Monica and others to twitter that I was looking for work (as well as others who have put the word out on their blogs), messages of good will on birthdays and anniversaries, and even flattering blog posts about me (completely unexpected as well, I might add. Thanks Raul.). Comments from fellow Bush Refugees Bob and David frequently make my day. They also gave us a bottle of their own wine.
I’ve seen the fireworks from a fabulous vantage point in Yaletown with MJ and laughed myself silly at a comedy night hosted by Tanya. I’ve gotten patient iPhone consulting from John and the opportunity to write an op-ed piece for the LA Times, thanks to Travis.
I’m only scratching the surface. With both Pam and I looking for work and living off of our savings, and all the scary economic news (on CNN, mainly) I still submit that like George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, I am truly a rich man, because of friends, and they keep reminding me of this fact.
As fellow Bush Refugees, we find the same reception in our new home, David.
Not a day goes by when I don’t thank the Universe for finally getting us across the 49th.
Cheers .…
Friends are really the currency of life, and a great gift, and I am very blessed that I have you and Pam as part of my group of friends here. And you get good things because you give out a lot as well, David. Your generosity gives back to you because you’re such a positive and encouraging and helpful person.
Canada and Vancouver won a lot when you guys moved here.
David, it is really people like you that make the world go round. I think all of us feel that much better about life because of people like you and Pam. We are honoured that you chose a place like this to move to.
A stranger is a friend you havent met. So goes a saying!!! Your post just confirmed it!!! Life is worth the living because God keeps a piece of heaven wherever we go. If you know anyone who is despondent or depressed give them your smile and extend the hand of friendship, just as it was for you.
I agree with the comments above. It’s because of the Law of Attraction. It’s neither luck nor Vancouver. It’s you and Pam, David. Enjoy and appreciate.
What a lovely posting and right between Canadian and American Thanksgivings. I agree with Gene. I am glad we have all ended up in this city and found a wonderful group of people who have enriched our lives.
If I could blush in a comment, I would. Thanks, everyone for their words. They mean a lot.
Look, I have to be honest here: I have two sheds full of bicycles in various states of misrepair. You’d be doing me a favor by taking one off my hands.
Hey, two sheds or not, I appreciate it. Isn’t there some joke that uses ‘2 sheds’ as a pun. I can’t believe that I remember the punch line but not the joke.