Tuesday, December 16, 2008

I Believe

The following image and e-mail comments were taken from PostSecret.



-----Email Message-----
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 5:18 AM
Subject: timecard you're not alone

My son just wrote Santa last night asking for that special present and I didn't have the heart to tell him that "Santa's" back injury has kept HER from waiting tables the past two weeks .

my secret:
I wish Santa Claus was real so on Christmas no child would have to go without and no parent would have to feel like they failed there child.

-Amber (with permission)


-----Email Message-----
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 12:11 AM
Subject: re: timecard you're not alone

I know I cannot do this for every child out there, but if you would tell her that there is someone out there willing to try and buy their son that gift, then I would appreciate it very much.

I am a college student with a limited budget, but it would be a lovely Christmas present for me if I were able to put a smile on the faces of two strangers on Christmas morning.


-----Email Message
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 11:53 PM
Subject: RE: timecard you're not alone

First off let me tell you how thankful I am to you and your wonderful offer. I was not in anyway expecting any sort of help I just wanted to let this person know they were not alone.

Gratefully yours,
-Amber

[Frank's Note:] (I asked Amber to set-up a PayPal account using this email address for those of us wanting to help.)
(PayPal Account information removed, as per Ameber's request.)


-----Email Message-----
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 4:05 PM
Subject: extra credit good karma AMBER

I made a donation and I was surprised at how good it felt. One does not have to be a millionaire to feel the joy of being generous.


-----Email Message-----
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 5:04 PM
Subject: RE: timecard you're not alone

Frank,

Santa Claus is real and is alive and well. He lives in you and others like you all over the world. I am overwhelmed by the love and generosity strangers have shown my family today. I never would have imagined it would get as large a response in such little time as it has. Not only will I be able to afford the present he asked for but clothes and other necessities I had been putting off.

At this time I am asking that you remove my paypal account from postsecret and I urge anyone else who wants to help someone in need to get into contact with their local community action centers.

Thank you for making my wish come true,
-Amber

ps I will send pictures of christmas morning!



One of the recent Advent readings from "Watch For The Light" talked about giving. To sum it up, the writer said that our giving at Christmas time was a way of saying we were self-sufficient and more of a boost to our own ego than anything else. I disagree. Sometimes people give because making another person happy makes us happy. Sometimes we give because we understand that the meaning of all of this is to love one another in whatever way we can. It could be a smile given to a person we pass on the street, or time spent with someone who is alone or feeling lonely, or it could be money sent to the account of a mom who needed a way to help her son see that Santa is real he just doesn't always show up in a red suit with a white beard. Sometimes he shows up as a college student.

3 comments:

aola said...

my greatest joy is to be able to give to someone I know who is struggling, the ones who never ask, the ones I see in my daily life who are doing everything they can do to make it and still fall short..those are the ones I love to give a special gift to knowing sometimes it is hard for them to accept, yet they do because they need to. I have been on both sides - the giving and the receiving - the receiving is hard.

Sandra said...

It's funny that you mentioned that it is hard to receive. The other part of the reading talked about being able to just receive without feeling indebted. That is a really tough pill to swallow. I always feel indebted anytime I receive even the smallest thing.

McMom said...

What a great post! I love giving also , but during Thanksgiving I had too relax and let myself be on the receiving end. It was much appreciated but hard. My family is awesome!