A Gift of Giving

Looking forward to Christmas 1995, to me, described a paradox.  How can one enjoy Christmas when their loving spouse recently passed away from cancer, and yet Christmas is a time for celebration...

I had a friend, recently divorced, who was going through his first Christmas without his children that he loved so dearly.  I called my friend and invited him over to my house for Christmas.  He didn't seem overly thrilled, but had nothing else to do.  I did the same for another divorced person who had a day without family or friends.  I told them to dress nice but withheld my plans from them.

The three of us, at my house, made Christmas canes from pipe cleaners, and after an hour I told my friends to get in my van, as I had a surprise for them.

So off we went.

First stop, a nursing home, left few dry eyes.  We visited the ones who had no company, prayed with them and left them little Christmas canes and some candy. One lady, feeling really bad, asked us to pray for her.  So we prayed with our hands on her body, and we felt a Power hard to describe.

Second stop, Presbyterian hospital...cancer wing. First you need to understand how hospitals work with the sick.  If possible, patients are sent home for the holidays.  The ones remaining in the hospital live too far, are too ill, or have no support from family or friends.  About 1/2 of the cancer wing was deserted.

We visited the staff and gave them candy and our little Christmas canes, then we visited the dying and ill.  How can one describe being humbled?  The patients asked for our prayers.  We visited with every patient in the wing.  We left the patients with a smile.  When we left the hospital, we had nothing else left to give, but we received much.  Our emotions were drained, we were exhausted, in tears but felt elevated to a 'high' impossible to describe.  We all thought "But for the grace of God'...

Last stop.  We visited my wife's grave, decorated it, placed candles and sang Silent Night.  Our voices were quivering because we found Christmas that day.  We gave all we had to give, and it cost us about five hours of our time and about two dollars in pipe cleaners and candy.  I said a silent prayer of thanks to my wife for teaching me to give.

May we, in this crazy but special time of year learn from the Teacher of teachers, Giving IS better than receiving.  Merry Christmas to all, and a happy new year.

[ B.J. Cassady -- from 'Inspired Buffalo' (InspiredBuffalo@lighthouse.net) ]