Christmas
There have been times in the past 3 weeks where I have really wanted to quit my job, or cry, or both. We've been prepping for Christmas, which means lots of picking up of donations, dealing with snow, angry people, and stressed out co-workers, feeling like we don't get paid enough, or appreciated enough, or heard. Being reminded a hundred times to make sure to do thins that I ALREADY KNOW MUST BE DONE. We've all been stressed and stretched really thin - with not enough people to do too much work.
But yesterday was the culmination of all of this hard work. And that made all of it completely worth it. The party went off without a hitch, and I got to spend a few hours watching the kids and moms have fun. I got to help one of the cutest little girls make a picture frame to put her Santa picture in. I watched kids chase each other around while they waited to talk to Santa. (Santa who was totally creepy to me, btw.) Watch them run to Mom, waving their chocolate lollipop and polaroid photo after they'd seen Santa. We sang, and ate, and smiled...oh, and we crafted. Did we craft! Picture frames, beaded candy canes, you name it.
Then we trucked back to the shelter to hand out gifts and food. I think that's when it *really hit home. That we were giving these people their Christmas. That many of these moms, rely on us for the gifts. That they're not always in a position to give their kids exactly what they want, or what they deserve. That all of this work, and frustration has been to do *this - to do good things for other people. Handing two bags of FANTASTIC gifts to one Mom, who has the sweetest, happiest baby I have EVER MET to take home to wrap for her, made my heart happy. Dancing in the front hallway with that baby while Mom carried gifts back and forth, and singing "Twinkle Twinkle" with her, made my DAY. And that, makes it all worth it. All of it. Every single second.
I always try to be thankful for what I have, because I know that I am a lucky girl. But this Christmas, when I'm with my family who I love and adore, who are always there for me, to keep me safe and happy and sane, opening presents, I will be more thankful and appreciative than I have ever been before. I will remember that somewhere out there not too far away, there is a little girl who will be smiling and dancing with her mom while they open Christmas presents, and that their Christmas day is a little brighter than it might have been a year ago. And as a result *my Christmas will be a little bit brighter.
But yesterday was the culmination of all of this hard work. And that made all of it completely worth it. The party went off without a hitch, and I got to spend a few hours watching the kids and moms have fun. I got to help one of the cutest little girls make a picture frame to put her Santa picture in. I watched kids chase each other around while they waited to talk to Santa. (Santa who was totally creepy to me, btw.) Watch them run to Mom, waving their chocolate lollipop and polaroid photo after they'd seen Santa. We sang, and ate, and smiled...oh, and we crafted. Did we craft! Picture frames, beaded candy canes, you name it.
Then we trucked back to the shelter to hand out gifts and food. I think that's when it *really hit home. That we were giving these people their Christmas. That many of these moms, rely on us for the gifts. That they're not always in a position to give their kids exactly what they want, or what they deserve. That all of this work, and frustration has been to do *this - to do good things for other people. Handing two bags of FANTASTIC gifts to one Mom, who has the sweetest, happiest baby I have EVER MET to take home to wrap for her, made my heart happy. Dancing in the front hallway with that baby while Mom carried gifts back and forth, and singing "Twinkle Twinkle" with her, made my DAY. And that, makes it all worth it. All of it. Every single second.
I always try to be thankful for what I have, because I know that I am a lucky girl. But this Christmas, when I'm with my family who I love and adore, who are always there for me, to keep me safe and happy and sane, opening presents, I will be more thankful and appreciative than I have ever been before. I will remember that somewhere out there not too far away, there is a little girl who will be smiling and dancing with her mom while they open Christmas presents, and that their Christmas day is a little brighter than it might have been a year ago. And as a result *my Christmas will be a little bit brighter.