162./ Something about patience, and waiting, and a gift.

I’d finished work for the day and needed to stretch my legs so decided to go for a little bike ride. I passed the spot from Good Deed 158 and was happy to see the man was up off the floor, and was also exploring the contents of the food parcel, so that was good. Then I passed a charity shop, someone had left a doll outside, in a box, and there was a sign on the window asking for no donations, because they were shut until further notice. I looked at the doll, she seemed to me to represent waiting. We are all waiting. for the doors to open again.

I googled the doll, just to make sure she wasn’t a rare antiquity, and thought that I hoped that someone would pick her up.

Unusual to leave a doll there, like that, knowing the shops are all closed, and have been for weeks, and will be for weeks.

So I rode off, and cycled around the cemetery park, and enjoyed the beauty of the green leaves, and the quality of the air and light.

And as I left the park a young dad and his daughter were coming in. The girl was only 2 or 3, on a little scooter which dad would soon be carrying.

I thought of the doll, and decided to go back to the shop, only 100 yards away, and collect her. Coming back with her, the dad and daughter had taken the lower path in the park, and not got very far. I called over to the dad, and asked if I could give him the doll, for the child. He asked the girl if she wanted the doll, she said yes, and that was that.

So now she has a nice new doll. The name on the box is Benda, but that’s a silly name for a doll, so she’ll probably give her a new one. And maybe one day in the future she’ll remember the day, and her dad will remind her about it, and tell her it was in the days when everyone had to stay home mostly, so they didn’t get poorly. And she can look after the doll, and give her a new name.

Ah yes. The waiting. We wait, for the doors to open again. But within that waiting there is a gift, I think. Perhaps many. As many as we are prepared to give, and receive.