Green eggs and heroes

"We give comfort and recieve comfort, sometimes at the same time." I've been thinking a lot about that line, which I first encountered years ago on a Borealis blank-inside greeting card that I liked enough to frame for my bookshelf. Replace "comfort" with "inspiration," "hope," "faith," or "courage" and it's just as true. I'm living proof.

Among the more inspiring things that happened to me this week was a phone conversation I had with Maura, my nine-year-old parrot sitter. I had just told her father, Mark, that I didn't know how to repay the family for taking Owen for so long and giving him such good care. "Actually," Mark said, "there is something you can do." Then Maura got on the line and said her fourth-grade class is having a heroes breakfast, to which the students each invite a hero. "I'm wondering if you would come as my hero," she said. I don't think I've ever been so honored! I told her so, and she replied simply, "Well, I'm honored that you'll come." Inspiration given, inspiration gained.

Considering that just Monday I attended a Green Eggs and Ham breakfast with my niece Katherine and the rest of her first-grade class, it appears I'm becoming somewhat of a regular on the grade school event breakfast circuit. I'll save a Go-gurt for ya.