Kindness is Magic by Derek Walter, Executive Director
/As a magician, I know all about magic. In fact, I know so much about magic that the “magic” of it is gone for me. Once you know the principles of magic, it spoils it. But, the magic of kindness is completely different. It doesn’t require trickery or misdirection. It makes you feel special and loved. And, magically, it can come as a surprise. Just this past month, I was able to experience the magic of kindness firsthand when the volunteers and staff at HEEFS gifted me with a truly special momento of my friendship with Bear.
For those of you who don’t know Bear, he was one of the Fab 4 – the four original pigs who came to live at HEEFS. There was Captain Dan, Bobbie, Len and Bear. Bear and I quickly bonded and he became one of my best friends. No one could tell a story like Bear! We would have long chats and watch movies late into the night sharing a bowl of popcorn. Bear was an old soul and we had a lot to talk about! Sadly, Bear passed away in 2017 and he left a huge hole in my heart that I would try my hardest not to look into because of the memories it would stir.
Then came the 2020 Art Auction at HEEFS and a very talented artist, Kat Schroeder, donated, among many beautiful pieces of art, a tribute piece to Bear. I fully planned on bidding on that piece when it came up in the auction but I never got the chance. The amazing team at HEEFS secretly removed it from the auction items and gifted it to me. It was an act of pure kindness and I never saw it coming…magic!
