Thursday, December 30, 2010

Farmington Canal Lock #12

The Farmington Canal was constructed in the 1825 to transport goods from the New Haven harbor to interior towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts. When trains provided better transportation the canal was abandoned. A railroad was built along the canal's right of way in 1848. Lock #12 is the only preserved lock remaining in the canal system. Lock #13 is located in Hamden and has never been restored. Lock #12 is designated as an historical site that includes a museum. The canal line has been converted from rails to trails for recreation.

I went to the site yesterday and took some photos of the lock. The snow drifts made interesting patterns.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Seasonal Reflection

I am always endeared by Dicken's A Christmas Carol. We are presented a tragic hero in Tiny Tim, the youngest in the Cratchett Family. He is portrayed as a sage who reflects during the Christmas Eve worship that his presence will remind people of the birth of the one who made cripples walk. He embodies the true spirit of Christmas whereas Scrooge lacks it.

Tiny Tim and the story came to mind on Tuesday when I was assigned to assist a student with cerebral palsy. He has a wonderful smile that brightens everyone he meets. He uses a walker to move through the school. The faculty and the students make allowance for his zig zag progression through the corridors. What impresses me the most is the reception he receives from the other students. He is valued by his classmates. This has impressed me the most. So much is known about bullying and cruelty in the schools. How wonderful to witness the inclusiveness for this boy. Children can be humanized when they have a child with disabilities with them. He doesn't evoke pathos as Tiny Tim but he does in a way embody the Christmas spirit. He is gifted in his special way. I feel privileged to meet him and work with him for one day.