As you know from past posts, I've rediscovered the simple things in life, appreciating them gratefully in turn. And this weekend, it overflowed when my mum and I took a trip to the store to purchase our goodies and gifts to fill our Santa Shoebox Project list.
It's so simple yet SO effective and to date, the project has already reached over and beyond their quota! You receive the name, age, and gender of a child (you can be specific to the age and gender if you wish) with a list of necessities | must haves to fill a shoebox. Naturally, you can continue to fill the box thereafter with additional items if you wish (you actually cannot help but to), that's just a small component of this small yet enormous token of giving.
I was shopping for a sweet little girl of 10 years, Khanya. I couldn't help but get into the holiday spirit (though it's only October). What truly struck a cord were the essential items on the list and the re-evaluation of the months ahead. The fact that toothpaste, a toothbrush, and soap (to name a few of the basics) would be far more important to Khanya than the the Disney Ariel watch I included in box, stopped me in the tracks. It made me wonder where the true spirit of the holidays has gone. How the season has become focused on how much one can spend (perhaps beyond our means and in turn create debt) with no thought or true desire, greed, and all emotion being diminished.
This holiday season will be a very different one for me - I miss Thanksgiving with my second "family" and friends, I may not see the man I love, and I'm in a third world country where people are in so much more need than myself or my fortunate family. But for the first time in years, I will be surrounded by my family and this year, time with loved ones and the capability of giving to those in need - will the greatest gift of all.
* Top photo via Santa Shoebox project Facebook page.
No comments :
Post a Comment