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Holiday Compassion Message

0 HS
BUCKEYE3M's picture
November 19, 2015 at 6:18pm
20 Comments

The realization that Thanksgiving is literally but a week away, makes me think of those less fortunate than myself, and it makes me count my blessings.

When I was a kid, my dad took me with him one year, very much against my will, to deliver food baskets for our church.  I was probably about 14 years old.  I was too cool for that, and I am certain I had better things to do.  Or, so I thought.

I don't remember much of the day, outside of one of the most impressionable moments of my life.  We went to the parish and picked up boxes all loaded up with boxes and cans of everything you could imagine a Thanksgiving dinner would include.  And, everyone got a turkey, and some even a ham.

What I will never forget is one delivery we made to an upstairs unit in a gray duplex.  It was like every other house we stopped at; there was nothing remarkable to a kid who knew everything.  But, what that little know-it-all didn't know was that his life would change after he reached the top of those stairs.

When the lady who lived there answered the door my dad gave the usual routine, "hi, we're from Saint _____ and someone asked that we deliver you with some things to help you out this Thanksgiving."  And, she let us in.  But, this delivery was different.

When my dad asked where to put the food, the woman didn't act like we owed her anything, as many did, or like we were a bother, and many others did.  She stood there, completely silent, with tears running down her cheeks.  Her gratitude was so overwhelming; you could feel the emotion.

My dad told her that we'd just put it in the kitchen, and went on like nothing was happening.  Me?  You could have knocked me over with a feather.  When we went into the kitchen, it was tidy and well kept.  And, when I opened the refrigerator to put the turkey inside, it was empty, save a few condiment bottles.  I put the turkey and ham in the refrigerator and my dad told her that we were all done, but the woman wasn't there.  When we stepped out of the kitchen she was laying on the couch sobbing.

We were about to leave and she got up and came over to my dad and gave him a hug and when the words "thank you" passed her lips they carried an emotional message that changed me.  I don't think I've ever felt, truly felt, gratitude like that.  As her words lingered in the air, she lost whatever compsure she had and was just flat out crying and thanking us over and over.  I don't even think I really understood what I witnesses that day, but it stayed fresh in my mind throughout that holiday season.

To this day, I think of that woman often, but not just her.  I think of what she represented to me, and what we represented to her.  She represented a soul that needed compassion, empathy, and kindness.  And, we represented generosity, caring, decency, and love.

I think of her when I see a homeless woman holding a sign that says "homeless because I decided to stop being a punching bag."  I think of her when I see my local food pantry asking for holiday donations.  And, I think of her when I sit in the warmth and comfort of my home, on a cold and snowy night knowing how truly fortunate and lucky I am.

I have tried to empart on my children the importance of helping others, and each year I make them take a food donation to the food pantry and buy a Christmas gift for an angel tree, or Toys for Tots (Semper Fi, Marines).  I've tried to pass onto them something that I felt that day, all those years ago.  And, I know I can't.  That was my experience.  They have to go find their own, and I hope their lucky enough to have one.

What will you do this year to help those less fortunate than you?

TL;DR: Quit being cheap and help the needy during the holidays.  Pay it forward.

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