Easter Sunday Almost Gone

It's spring and the tulips are peeking out of their little green coats and the forest is lush with moss and baby blossoms and wild daffodils dot the spare spaces. Peace is so quiet and rare.

I sat on my warm cozy bed today with the cat, watching the sun streaming through the window and thought about what's in front of me and how bloody lucky I am to have a bed and a cat and a window.

I'm trying to switch my brain over to airports and landings in strange lands and the despair of  the people I'm going to work with who once had windows and cats and comfort. Cultural differences and geography are incidental to the human desire for comfort and security, and I simply cannot imagine losing everything including my country. So, in short days, I will come to know who these people are and what I can do to provide some small service to comfort at Idomeni.

I've collected an awful lot of donations and am carrying 2 massive bags of soap, shampoo, hand sanitiser, toothbrushes / toothpaste, baby clothes, diapers,  underwear, sanitary pads, socks and countless other items for mamas and babies at the camp. I'm about 5 lbs overweight on each bag and hoping that Air Canada has a heart underneath that maple leaf. If not,  I'll either have to offload some stuff at the check in counter or cough up a hundred bucks I don't have to spare. I'll figure it out tomorrow. For today, I'm taking in my blessed, privileged existence and snuggling down with Mokey cat for my last homey night.

I'm tired from all the preparations - it's not the kind of trip I've done for a while now, and the packing details and considerations don't conjure holiday happy, bouncy feelings. People ask me if I'm excited yet, and I'm not. I'm really not excited to head to the camps where organised human rights groups like MSF and UNHCR are throwing their hands in the air because of the inhumane detention of refugees. I'm not excited. I feel trepidation. I feel a bit nervous. But I also feel hopeful because there's lots of people where I'm going that feel like I do - that we need to help in any way we are equipped, and we can witness, and we can engage our friends and family and community in action oriented advocacy.

Me and the cat have to say our farewells tonight. He knows something's up - they always do. I'm on a 6:45am flight so I wish you all a Happy, blessed, privileged and comfortable Easter.