Angel Tree and Volunteering

I have said here before that Christmas is my favorite holiday. Today I started thinking about why. Yes, I love the decorations, the cards, the wrapping paper, the gifts, the carols and the TV specials. But one of my most favorite things is the “Angel Tree”. The Angel Tree is a Christmas tree in the vestibule of my church (We also have one at work for the Salvation Army) that contains paper ornaments with the name and need of a child or adult. You take an “angel” and buy the gift that is listed on the ornament, wrap it and leave it under the tree. The people whose names are on the tree are all needy people from our area and some from our church. This year, I took 4 names all from a nursing home in Wake Forest . Usually all the names are children and I love shopping for them, but this year, something directed me to the Senior Care Center names. Maybe it is because my grandmother is an Alzheimer's Unit in a place much like that one and it makes me think of her. I am really not sure but I was really drawn to them and so I picked 4 names. Once I studied the cards and found out what they wanted, I noticed that they asked for such basic, humble things. I don’t know why but I got all teary.

I have always wanted to help people. I remember when I was younger and my grandmother(the one in the Alzheimer's Unit) would take me downtown Chicago to work with her on the train, we would always see homeless people pan handling. But there was one that I will always remember. She was a blind lady but what drew me in was her dog. She had a guide dog, a German Shepherd I think and I saw her several times over the years. She was always in the same spot in the underground tunnel to the train. My grandma would never give me money to give them when I asked and told me that I was not allowed to give them anything. So, I used to bring change with me and when my grandma was not looking I would put the change in her cup. One time she caught me and she got upset. I started to cry and ran into the bathroom in the train station. She asked me why I was crying and I remember plainly telling her that I felt sad for the lady and her dog and that I did not understand why she was so “mean” and would ont give them anything. She never said anything about it but the next time I went downtown with her she gave me a quarter to give to the lady with the dog. She never explained why she felt that way, I imagine it was because she saw the lady Monday through Friday and was not affected by it anymore. Even now when I see a panhandler on the side of the road or where ever, I have to at least give them a dollar. Whether they really are poor, I don't know but I feel compelled to give them something. Some people would call me a sucker. I call it being soft-hearted!

During this time of year, it is easy to remember those beings (human or animal) who need our help. What I try to do is help those during Christmas but I also try to help through out the year. Whether it is through donating what little extra money that I have, things that I have extras of (blankets, clothes, canned goods etc) or my time, I try to help. I doubt it makes a huge difference in the over all scheme of things, it matters to me. It also reminds me how good I have it even though there are days when it is hard. Since me divorce, I have struggled to make it financially and this really weighs on me sometimes. but then I think about that I have a house to live in, a car to drive, a job to go to and a family that loves me. I think I am about the luckiest person around! So if you can, do something for someone else human or animal. I promise you won't regret it!