Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Day 259: Sharing sharing

As I said last week, this holiday season is all about giving for me. I honestly LOVE presents, but don't really need or want much. The only two things I really want are a new faster camera (love my MIL's Cyber shot) and a Dyson vacuum cleaner so my daughter can quit building up her immunity to dog hair. These are both around $400-600 range, not reasonable gifts to ask of anyone. And really anything else I want, I buy for myself or do without. I guess a couple of Starbucks gift cards would be nice too. I do like to treat myself to a very expensive cup of joe once in awhile. Itunes or Kohls are also always handy, but when people ask me what I want, I really don't know. If I really need something, I buy it. I am blessed enough to do that. If a millionaire asked me what I want for Christmas, I would say my car paid off, but short of that happening, I don't want anything.

But my dad when he was little had very poor Christmases. He told me a story once, and the details are a bit fuzzy, about an office party for his dad's company. Near the end of the party, Santa came in to distribute presents to all the little children. Name after name was called, finally the bag was empty, but little Bill, Sherrie, and Pam were left empty handed. His parents couldn't afford to bring presents to the party for Santa to give out. My dad thought he had been so bad he wasn't getting any presents from Santa.

Every time I think about this story I want to cry. I want to race back in time and snatch up that little boy into a big hug and give him a bicycle or something. I really wish there was a way I could heal that memory for my dad. I have already mentioned a few times how special my parents made the holidays for me, and it breaks my heart that any child, especially my own father, was disappointed by Santa Claus.

As adults, we know that God's gift to us is the real reason for Christmas and Santa Claus is just a romantic myth, but children believe in the hope and promise and magic of Santa. I can't do as much as I would like to give every kid a Christmas gift, but I can tell my dad's story to my students; I can encourage them to think with their hearts for a few weeks a year. Maybe the message falls on deaf ears, but maybe like the parable of the seeds while some of the seeds never grow, some just take a while to bloom. I can only hope, that the simple message of giving and sharing is something that grows in their hearts. I see them give a few dollars for our school charity which is amazing, but I hope that sharing the importance of sharing is something that becomes part of their future as well. That may be the best gift I can give the future, more people who take a few seconds to give.

1 comment:

  1. I'm much like you...I don't need/want much. I do like to give though!

    ReplyDelete