On Meeting Mr Bear

 This week I experienced something very profound and powerful.

I experienced seeing two individuals who were total opposites.  Let me tell you briefly about them.

    First person.  Well this person was large in stature and large in attitude.  He was aggressive and emitted a “I’m ticked with life in general—and you are lucky I am going to serve you.”  I found him intimidating, large like I already said, and incredibly unhappy.  He seem like a born bully.  I did my best to be polite, kind, and share a little humour—but nope—that wasn’t going to work with Mr Bear,  After I made my purchase (can you believe less that $5.00—that further ticked him off!) , he placed my few items which I purchased on the counter with a little bag beside.  I offered to put the items into the bag as he wrote the receipt.  His response? “Well, Walmart doesn’t put your sh*t into your bag and you can be sure I won’t either!”  I went out to my van thinking—“Wow, I wonder what that guy is like at home?”

Second person.  This was the wife of Constable Mark Hovingh—a dear lady by the name of Lianne.  Recently, Constable Mark was shot in the line of duty on Manitoulin Island.  Lianne was the epitome of grace.  Lianne shared a quote that has helped her:  ‘Whatever you think anger is doing for you right now—-love will do a better job.’   We watched her video clip online.  Of particular note is an email she read from the son from an old family friend.  When the email came, he told the story of how as a young child he would ride the cop car with Constable Mark.  The email told the story of how Constable Mark’s sergeant had told the young rider to make sure Constable Mark handed out some tickets—-as it had been a long time since he wrote any tickets.  That day, the email read, a number of violators were pulled over, but none received an appropriate ticket.  Constable Mark knew the persons, understood some of their difficulties and situations.  The entire video, while causing a rise in emotion and tears shed, spoke powerfully to me.  I want to be a Lianne.  I want to be a Constable Mark.

Funny how two different individuals  spoke so powerfully to me last week!