For me, the holidays have always been a special time. The holidays create an opportunity to unwind, relax, and spend time with dearly loved family and friends. However, it is not lost upon me that not everyone has the opportunity to experience all of the joys that the holidays bring. Those individuals that are less fortunate may not have the means to provide their families with Christmas gifts and grand meals. The elderly and disabled may not have the ability to visit family and friends, even though these are likely the individuals that need the joy and the love the most.
My mother instilled in me from an early age that we are all created equally and those that are less fortunate deserve to be treated with equal respect. As a child, my mother would bring my brother and I to the local Missions to serve food to the less fortunate. On both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, we would deliver meals to individuals who were unable to make one for themselves. We would deliver presents to homes that might otherwise not have presents under the tree. The looks on the faces of the people that we encountered still float through my head. The shear joy and astonishment that someone would take the time out of their day, on Thanksgiving and Christmas no less, to do something for them, was incomprehensible.
I like to think that I was able to bring just a little more joy with these deliveries. We can often be so involved with what we have going on that we forget the struggles that other people are facing. I regret that I find myself guilty of this as well. The very brief amount of time and effort that it took to make these deliveries may have made the difference between and good and a bad holiday for these families. This year I am going to deliver Christmas gifts to a nursing home facility in my hometown. I challenge each person reading this, if you have the means, to contribute something. Even if you are only able to contribute you time and energy, those things could make a major difference this holiday season. I challenge you to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I challenge you to find your Holiday Heart.