"Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas." - Dale Evans Rogers
A few years ago I stopped at drug store to pick up a few things and noticed a man holding a sign near the parking lot entry. It was Christmas time, and it was very cold out. I decided once in the store, I'd pick him up a few things, whatever I could find on short notice that I thought might be helpful to him. I decided on a hot beverage to-go mug, a tin of Christmas cookies, a few other snacks and $5 just in case he wanted to get some hot fast food.
As I approached the man and I handed him the bag of snacks and the to-go mug. He told me how he can't keep much because nearly everything he owns gets stolen living outside, so he kindly declined the to-go mug and thanked me for the snacks and the $5. I handed him the tin full of Christmas cookies and as he stood, he was staring at them. Tearing up, he told me a story of his late grandmother. He said that for every Christmas his grandmother gave him this same tin with these cookies every single year and he had long forgotten this until this very moment as he held them in his hands. He thanked me and told me that in this one kind gesture, he was given much more than cookies and a meal, he was reminded of special childhood memories, and a love from his grandma he had long forgotten.
I thought I was doing this grown man a favor by giving him some much needed food. But what was given to him through me was more than either one of us knew was coming and more than we thought was possible in just a few moments.
As for me, I was given is the visual of a small boy cheerfully enjoying Christmas cookies in the presence of his loving grandmother. Although a grown man in dirty clothes stood before me, I saw the child he once was, and that part of him that thrives to live on and the love he remembered and experienced before my very eyes.
It became apparent to me that although I had giving in my heart, his grandmother was right there with us that day and wanted him to know too, that she was standing beside him every year just as she had in life.
The moral of my story is to give, as we can never know it's true meaning to another. We don't always get to see the consequences of our giving, but each action makes a difference to another.
It was a blessing to me to witness this one.
-Lora Perry
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