A Christmas Story
A word of kindness lasts all day To light another's heart
and way, And if we add a caring smile, It adds a joy to
traveled miles. A simple word of kindly care Or just a smile
to ease despair, It means so much to those who cry For loves
and joys their life denies. It costs us nothing to be kind
And calm another's grieves of mind Or to add charity of
heart That Christian love and care impart... For Jesus
preached in days on earth That we respect each other's birth
And love each other, in His name, Who live and pray and die
the same. --Michael Dubina
As I read this poem I thought of my dad and one of the many
times I saw him show respect and compassion.
My parents owned a Variety Store in a small town. The
Christmas season was always a busy one. Part of my job was
to help get the dolls out of the boxes and straighten their
hair and dresses so they could be put on display. Daddy
would set up a little place in the back of the store and
assemble the wagons and tricycles. I always enjoyed helping
him and my brother put together these toys. This was a
service that daddy provided and it kept him very busy.
Christmas time was a mixture of happiness and sadness when
watching parents shop for their children's Christmas
presents. Happiness at knowing that some children would wake
on Christmas morning and have the gifts they wanted from
Santa Claus. Sadness at knowing that some would wake on
Christmas morning with little under the tree and be
disappointed.
One Christmas season a little girl came into the store
looking at the dolls on display. After looking at the dolls,
she told us that there was one special doll that she wanted
Santa to bring her. Her dad, a farmer, came into the store
just before Christmas to shop for Christmas presents. He
picked out some socks and underwear for his daughter. My dad
told him that his daughter had been looking at one
particular doll asked him if he wanted to see it. The man
said that it had been a bad year for the crops and money was
scarce. He could not afford to buy any toys. Even though
this was in the 1950's and toys were not very expensive, it
was still expensive for him. Daddy told him that it was near
Christmas and he did not want to keep any toys in his
inventory so several of the dolls were on sale. He told the
father that this doll was on sale for one dollar. The father
said he could afford that and bought the doll.
A couple of days after Christmas the little girl came into
the store carrying her doll. Beaming with joy, she told
Daddy that Santa Claus had brought her the doll that she
wanted. With tears in his eyes, he told her that he was
happy that Santa had been so good to her. This really made
the true meaning of Christmas, which is giving, come alive
for my dad. He had turned what could have been a sad time
for that little girl into a happy one.
I was about 10 or 11 years old when this happened but this
event has stayed with me all my life. The compassion and
respect that my dad showed to this man had a profound impact
on me. He knew that my dad was not offering him outright
charity but, by allowing him to pay something for the doll,
he knew that my dad was giving him respect as a person. And
as one father to another, he knew that my dad cared about
families.
By example, my dad showed me what it meant to have
compassion and respect for others. Through the years, I
learned that this was very much a part of my father's life.
His respect for others earned him respect in return. This
was taught to him by his parents and he continued to live
what he had learned from them and pass it on to his
children. Isn't this what we are supposed to do as parents?
Our lives are enriched when we show compassion and respect
for our fellow man. This is what God expects of each of us.
When we show compassion and respect, we are spreading God's
love and witnessing to that love in our lives. This respect
is returned to us many times over. My hope is that I have
continued in the tradition of my dad and taught my children
compassion and respect for others and they will then teach
their children.
Laura Young copyright 2002
lyoung1941@yahoo.com
I am retired public school secretary. I am married to a
retired Methodist minister. I had a story on 2theheart on
November 5 entitled "The Hill". I am grateful for the good
response I received from that story. Christmas always brings
back memories and this is one of my favorites.