James Brown and Me!

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got you
Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

   Have you heard the godfather of soul make his joyful declaration of feeling like he's on top of the world? The chorus of this song has been used so many times, by so many people, with slight adjustments made to the words to fit their occasions of exhilaration. This morning, after I changed the line "I got you" to read "I helped you!" it would have been just the right paean for me to warble. I was returning from my Friday morning volunteering (keep in mind as you read on that I am not "officially" trained, I just volunteer) at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. I felt so good, I swear I could have flown home just as easily as I drove there.
   I've been paired up there with a young fellow who is still working on his mobility skills. About five blocks down the street from the CNIB building is a coffee shop that has a whole lot more atmosphere than the Institute's cafeteria, so we started walking there a few weeks ago. When we get there, we discuss things like the structure of Canada's government or whatever else is on the agenda for the day, but we're doing it in a place we both enjoy more. Of course, getting there has also been a practise for getting "out and about" for this young man. Previously, I have given him my arm and served as his sighted guide, but we've been working on changing that, and making the safe arrival at the coffee shop more of his responsibility. Today, on our way back to the CNIB, he didn't even reach for my arm. He used his cane and I walked beside him. He made all the calls, when to cross the intersections, etc, and he got us safely back to the CNIB. I walked beside him, either joining him in ordinary conversation, maintaining a companionable silence, or giving him details of what he was coming up to on the sidewalk and using directional words to tell him how to navigate the situation.
   When we were walking up to the Institute door, he stopped for a moment and said, "This is the first time I have taken someone somewhere like this. You are such a good mobility instructor. Thank you for helping me have this chance to feel good."
  Voila!  Instant huge smile all over my face! Instant urge to break into my own rendition of the godfather's ode to joy, (except that I wouldn't want to embarrass the young man!). Instant joy at having been able to give a such a gift.
    I feel good, so good.