Editor:
I was at the Dollar Store this afternoon and a lovely, wee girl came up to me and asked, “Are you Garfield?” This young lass, no taller than my waist, introduced herself as Chelsea and was polite, outgoing and friendly. I replied that I was, in fact, the Garfield who had come to her Grade 4/5 class at Roberts Creek School several times last fall to introduce students to Old Time forms of play.
I told her that I was sorry not to have recognized her and that I hoped to be back at the school early in the new year to do some more “Playworks” with her and her classmates.
Chelsea said that she would tell her teacher that she had seen me. She was unable to introduce me to her mom at this time because her mother was in the adjoining store shopping. I hope to meet her another time to tell her how impressed I am with her daughter’s character.
It did my heart good to be remembered for what we had done at the school and reminds me of the value of simple, time-honoured play in the lives of children; also of the value of intergenerational interactions in the lives of both young and old.
A simple, yet I believe profound experience for me to be remembered and valued by a youngster. I believe these kinds of interactions are really what make a community. I applaud her teacher for taking the initiative of bringing a community elder like me to her school to both teach and learn with her class.
Thank you Chelsea, for making my day – it was a wonderful New Year’s gift. I hope I can help make your days and those of your friends both playful and joyful at the school in the days to come.
Dr. Garfield Pennington, Professor Emeritus, University of BC, Roberts Creek
