From Hart to Hearts
A Message from Rev Linda Hart for the month of May 2009
You may have noticed that there is a Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop in the Odeon Cinema that is on the corner of Ormond Road. We've always loved Ben and Jerry's ice cream, but have very rarely gone into the shop as a scoop is very dear and we can find other options easily.
Peter was the first one to see the sign this year, reminding us that the company celebrates the anniversary of its founding on 21 April every year by giving away ice cream cones. We knew exactly where we were going to be after school on that Tuesday. In the queue for free ice cream.
After I picked Claire up, we hurried along to the shop and joined a crowd that was waiting to get in. Initially it appeared to me that a group of teens were waiting in the queue whilst eating ice cream cones. I asked if they were queued, and they stepped aside quickly. I made an offhand comment about how they wouldn't have had a second round, and one of the girls quickly corrected me.
'No,' she said, 'this is the second round of cones we've had.' I muttered something about not making it three.
I felt uncomfortable as I realised that the group in front of us had crumbs of cone around their mouths and were talking about what flavours they wanted this time. Resentment crept into my heart. They were in line for their second serving and we had not yet had one! How could this be fair? The people serving should just cut them off, shouldn't they? One apiece! No more!
Ben and Jerry's – at least in this shop – are wiser, I think, than my immediate reaction. Instead of trying to work out some system by which everyone got only one, and then having to cope with the consequences of enforcing it, they simply opened their doors and invited people in. Stocking the freezer well, they prepared to be generous. If someone wanted another cone and was willing to wait in the queue, then they could have another without prejudice.
As I was able to appreciate their generosity, I felt my own judgment melt away. After all, I was just minutes away from getting some delicious free ice cream myself.
The other fun and surprising moment was when people came upon this queue that stretched out into the street and wondered what it was all about. 'Free ice cream cones!' we'd exclaim. 'Really?' they'd ask, 'really? Free? Are you sure? And it's not just the cone, but there's ice cream in it?' Not believing that it could be true, they'd then say, 'Ah, but there can't be many flavours,' they'd decide sadly. When one of the shop workers would hand over the card with all the flavours listed (would you like some Baked Alaska or Cherry Garcia?) the questions would stop and the person would join the queue.
It's hard to believe that we are given these sorts of gifts sometimes. Yes, go ahead and have another. Yes, it's free and you get to choose and it will be delicious and you will feel treated well. These gifts come to us every day, don't they? And because they aren't handed to us in a fancy bit of paper, we forget to notice that they are there for us:
- » the warmth of the mid-spring sun loosening tight winter shoulders;
- » the abundance of green and flowers around;
- » the grace of the touch of hands in greeting;
- » the beauty of a smile;
- » the joyful babble of a baby;
- » the comfort of companions.
May the gifts of this time be with you; may you know and cherish them and give thanks.
Linda