A Sudbury Saturday Night and a Sunday Too! 😊 May 18, 2019
(Warning: This is a syrupy story, not a funny one. Laur had to drink a glass of vinegar to edit it.)
Zowzers! I have been looking for a word or expression to describe this past weekend in Sudbury. And what came up on a podcast on Monday was “Ubuntu” or “kindness” – literally, "I am, because you are.” The word / phrase “ubuntu is just the ticket.” Allow me to describe my weekend of kindness, and then tell you how I learned about this word and how it works.
Saturday morning in St. Catharines I got to do my slow-jog (slog), listening to my combination of 70s and gospel music. Seems kind of ordinary but I am so very aware that for many of the world’s women, to go out without accompaniment is so dangerous. Worth remembering!
We packed up our van and as always Laur gasped at the amount of stuff, and as always loved his Kraft peanut butter and banana sandwiches en route and our very special breakfast (we’re creatures of habit) at the motel – the Super 8 in Suds. The Super 8 is where my Dad and Mom often stayed in Suds. Good memories.
Laur drove, I read. We stopped at a service centre and got a Tim’s. Sometimes our life in Canada amazes me. We can buy gas reliably, there are clean washrooms that are free to use, and we don’t have to pick those coffee beans We simply cannot imagine the number of hands involved in bringing us this. (Not all of those hands are happy, I know.)
Once we arrived in Sudbury we went to a café where our dear M works and we had group hug. We got to the store where C has just got a promotion at a job she absolutely loves – so grateful for C’s living wage and benefits package. We checked into our motel and had a friendly chat with the lad at the front desk. He’d rather be in Toronto but his dad needed his help, so there he is and cheerfully. (And he pointed out that there is all day and all night coffee – decaf and regular. Yes, coffee is a recurrent theme – even though I can only drink limited amounts.)
Back to our kids’ apartment, and J and I went for our walk and strolled past this wonderful thing called not-for-profit housing. Can you imagine? In a world where most folks don’t have good housing, we have in Canada pockets of affordable housing. Not nearly enough of it and it takes some time on the waiting list – but that it exists at all…
Off to a restaurant that I love with my whole heart – My Thai Palace – on Long Lake Road. They have something for everyone. C and J like the “Canadian food” – J especially loves their clams and being a down-easterner, he knows what good seafood tastes like. Laur and I dove into the Thai food – I got the extra spicy tofu and added even more spice. There was so much food I had to share some with my hubs. He had to drink a fair bit of water to get past the bite (which beats vinegar).
We picked up some desserts at the Dairy Queen. DQ puts my kids in their happy zone because it brings back memories of staying with their grandparents in Belleville. Back to our motel room for more chats until Laur and I were ready to crash – which is normally anytime after 7 pm.
On Sunday morning I went for a walk in my old “hood.” I accept that I will never recover from moving out of 465 Loach’s Rd. and Sudbury. It was the smart and best thing to do. Laur and I cannot justify or maintain a house of that size and most of our family is in St. Catharines. Still, when we hit that bend in the highway after Barrie that points us due north, we feel this sense of freedom from the crazy busyness of Southern Ontario. Not that I wouldn’t create crazy busyness in Northern Ontario. But oh that northern air and the wide open skies.
Off to my home church in Sudbury – All Peoples United Church – where I was a voluntary lay preacher and pastoral care visitor for many years. I cannot describe to you what these folks and this building mean to me and to so many others. All Peoples was born to love outsiders, and I was born to be a voluntary shepherd of a small flock.
I got to lead the service and Laur got to read the Scriptures. AND our step mom and dear friend Marg and Laur’s sister Laura were at the service. How amazing was that!? Marg came in from Elliot Lake, and Laura works a crazy busy schedule. The bulletins were printed in colour and I have saved four of them to share with our kids – who will think this is funny, because they can call up the image on their computer screen.
The Fellowship Hour is magical at All Peoples – both for the company and for the abundance of food. Marg said to me on facebook later in the day, “I know now why you love APUC so much. I enjoyed meeting and talking to the people there. It is such a warm and friendly church.” Marg and Laura then headed off to a Mother’s Day brunch cooked by the amazing Jamey – Laura’s sweetie for many years. We all adore him. (Marg is so amazing that she deserves a story on her own. Another time.)
Laur pointed the van south and after a few hours and many prayers from my Mom, Granny Marj, we arrived back in St. Catharines to our seniors’ apartment. A soft landing, as always.
As I said earlier in this story, I did not have the words to describe this weekend … until I listened to a podcast from The Sunday Edition… If you have only 20 minutes to listen to a great podcast, may I humbly suggest “He was a young refugee. She was a widowed mother of four. Their unlikely friendship has come full circle…” https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-february-11-2018-1.4528197/he-was-a-young-refugee-she-was-a-widowed-mother-of-four-their-unlikely-friendship-has-come-full-circle-1.4528216
It’s about many things but one of them is the concept of ubuntu. To quote from the show…
***Often translated as "kindness" or "humanity toward others," the literal meaning for the ancient word is "I am, because you are."
"Ubuntu is this philosophical term that embodies kindness, love, goodness to another person," Placide (the young refugee) says. "When that is shown to you, it grows deep in you and you can only return that sense of ubuntu.”***
This is truly what I experienced in my weekend in Sudbury, and what I see when I look at our dining room table (which we never use for eating.) A sweet Mother’s Day card from Laur, a rose from All Peoples United Church, a basket of chocolate for the sweet people in my life in St. Catharines, and those four bulletins aka love-letters from APUC.
*****
If you have 10 minute to listen to a mediocre sermon, do check out the one I gave at All Peoples United Church this past week. What I lack in brilliance I make up for in gratitude. https://www.facebook.com/carolchuipka/videos/10156784863908248/
Zowzers! I have been looking for a word or expression to describe this past weekend in Sudbury. And what came up on a podcast on Monday was “Ubuntu” or “kindness” – literally, "I am, because you are.” The word / phrase “ubuntu is just the ticket.” Allow me to describe my weekend of kindness, and then tell you how I learned about this word and how it works.
Saturday morning in St. Catharines I got to do my slow-jog (slog), listening to my combination of 70s and gospel music. Seems kind of ordinary but I am so very aware that for many of the world’s women, to go out without accompaniment is so dangerous. Worth remembering!
We packed up our van and as always Laur gasped at the amount of stuff, and as always loved his Kraft peanut butter and banana sandwiches en route and our very special breakfast (we’re creatures of habit) at the motel – the Super 8 in Suds. The Super 8 is where my Dad and Mom often stayed in Suds. Good memories.
Laur drove, I read. We stopped at a service centre and got a Tim’s. Sometimes our life in Canada amazes me. We can buy gas reliably, there are clean washrooms that are free to use, and we don’t have to pick those coffee beans We simply cannot imagine the number of hands involved in bringing us this. (Not all of those hands are happy, I know.)
Once we arrived in Sudbury we went to a café where our dear M works and we had group hug. We got to the store where C has just got a promotion at a job she absolutely loves – so grateful for C’s living wage and benefits package. We checked into our motel and had a friendly chat with the lad at the front desk. He’d rather be in Toronto but his dad needed his help, so there he is and cheerfully. (And he pointed out that there is all day and all night coffee – decaf and regular. Yes, coffee is a recurrent theme – even though I can only drink limited amounts.)
Back to our kids’ apartment, and J and I went for our walk and strolled past this wonderful thing called not-for-profit housing. Can you imagine? In a world where most folks don’t have good housing, we have in Canada pockets of affordable housing. Not nearly enough of it and it takes some time on the waiting list – but that it exists at all…
Off to a restaurant that I love with my whole heart – My Thai Palace – on Long Lake Road. They have something for everyone. C and J like the “Canadian food” – J especially loves their clams and being a down-easterner, he knows what good seafood tastes like. Laur and I dove into the Thai food – I got the extra spicy tofu and added even more spice. There was so much food I had to share some with my hubs. He had to drink a fair bit of water to get past the bite (which beats vinegar).
We picked up some desserts at the Dairy Queen. DQ puts my kids in their happy zone because it brings back memories of staying with their grandparents in Belleville. Back to our motel room for more chats until Laur and I were ready to crash – which is normally anytime after 7 pm.
On Sunday morning I went for a walk in my old “hood.” I accept that I will never recover from moving out of 465 Loach’s Rd. and Sudbury. It was the smart and best thing to do. Laur and I cannot justify or maintain a house of that size and most of our family is in St. Catharines. Still, when we hit that bend in the highway after Barrie that points us due north, we feel this sense of freedom from the crazy busyness of Southern Ontario. Not that I wouldn’t create crazy busyness in Northern Ontario. But oh that northern air and the wide open skies.
Off to my home church in Sudbury – All Peoples United Church – where I was a voluntary lay preacher and pastoral care visitor for many years. I cannot describe to you what these folks and this building mean to me and to so many others. All Peoples was born to love outsiders, and I was born to be a voluntary shepherd of a small flock.
I got to lead the service and Laur got to read the Scriptures. AND our step mom and dear friend Marg and Laur’s sister Laura were at the service. How amazing was that!? Marg came in from Elliot Lake, and Laura works a crazy busy schedule. The bulletins were printed in colour and I have saved four of them to share with our kids – who will think this is funny, because they can call up the image on their computer screen.
The Fellowship Hour is magical at All Peoples – both for the company and for the abundance of food. Marg said to me on facebook later in the day, “I know now why you love APUC so much. I enjoyed meeting and talking to the people there. It is such a warm and friendly church.” Marg and Laura then headed off to a Mother’s Day brunch cooked by the amazing Jamey – Laura’s sweetie for many years. We all adore him. (Marg is so amazing that she deserves a story on her own. Another time.)
Laur pointed the van south and after a few hours and many prayers from my Mom, Granny Marj, we arrived back in St. Catharines to our seniors’ apartment. A soft landing, as always.
As I said earlier in this story, I did not have the words to describe this weekend … until I listened to a podcast from The Sunday Edition… If you have only 20 minutes to listen to a great podcast, may I humbly suggest “He was a young refugee. She was a widowed mother of four. Their unlikely friendship has come full circle…” https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-february-11-2018-1.4528197/he-was-a-young-refugee-she-was-a-widowed-mother-of-four-their-unlikely-friendship-has-come-full-circle-1.4528216
It’s about many things but one of them is the concept of ubuntu. To quote from the show…
***Often translated as "kindness" or "humanity toward others," the literal meaning for the ancient word is "I am, because you are."
"Ubuntu is this philosophical term that embodies kindness, love, goodness to another person," Placide (the young refugee) says. "When that is shown to you, it grows deep in you and you can only return that sense of ubuntu.”***
This is truly what I experienced in my weekend in Sudbury, and what I see when I look at our dining room table (which we never use for eating.) A sweet Mother’s Day card from Laur, a rose from All Peoples United Church, a basket of chocolate for the sweet people in my life in St. Catharines, and those four bulletins aka love-letters from APUC.
*****
If you have 10 minute to listen to a mediocre sermon, do check out the one I gave at All Peoples United Church this past week. What I lack in brilliance I make up for in gratitude. https://www.facebook.com/carolchuipka/videos/10156784863908248/