MOG #64: Tried and True

I'm always amazed at what people put together when I ask them to write an MOG. Today, Kaela told me she was happy to write and take a break from writing research papers and I laughed because it's true and I could resonate.  All too often research papers or any other form of school stop us from doing the more soul-searching kind of tasks. But this weekend, a holiday one, is sure to be filled with either moments of gratitude or at least moments of family, friends, loved ones and if nothing else an abundance of mini eggs. Read on, then go celebrate. There's always something to celebrate and always something else to be grateful for as well. 

This weekend embarks the death and resurrection of Jesus, or more commonly known as Easter. This is a time of year when people gather to celebrate; families gather together (whether religious or not) to eat copious amounts of food and chocolate, high school students gather to celebrate the much appreciated long weekend, and university students gather to celebrate the end of a heavy semester. This year wasn’t like any of the past, there wasn’t an Easter egg hunt with mini-eggs hidden around my grandmother’s farmland, there weren’t cousins surrounding the dinner table catching up, and there certainly weren’t any chocolate Easter bunnies with the small round eyes made of icing. But that didn’t make this Easter any less special than any of the past.

By no means am I religious, in fact I’ve often referred to myself as Agnostic. So, Easter to me is visiting family members that I haven’t seen since Christmas and celebrating the end of another school year. This year my grandparents came down to my parent’s house to have dinner and play Bingo (Grandma’s favourite).  I often avoid or even ignore my Grandfather. I know this sounds horrible but he isn’t exactly the most open-minded person in the world. He makes racial slurs and doesn’t think that a woman should have opinions, especially one that differs from his own. So, being a fairly strong-willed person I avoid confrontation because after all he is family. This year I decided to do something different. I actually listened to his complaints and not so subtle racism, and learned something.

          This man went through a lot in his life. Even though he may only have a grade 6 education, he knows the difference between different types of soils, and pesticides, and a multitude of other facts surrounding agriculture that most people couldn’t even fathom.  My moment of gratitude was being able to sit in his presence, and learn something from someone who I’d never really given the time of day in the past. What I should have known, and now realize, is that everyone brings something to the table. What they present may not come in the best packaging, but it’s worth something no matter the delivery.