Uxbridge Information & Events

December The Season Of Celebrations & Sharing - In The Spirit Of Christmas

What fun to be part of bringing joy at Christmas.

3 days before Christmas I received an email through Active Rain, with a 'strange question', the sender had a large turkey she would like to give to a family in need, would I know someone who could use it? I replied immediately "YES" and made arrangements to pick it up the next day. I do not know this woman, she lives about 40 minutes away, but she knew my name through real estate advertising, signs, and she obviously reads my Active Rain blog.

I walked in the front door thinking I would just pick up the turkey and be on my way. On the kitchen table was a box, she started pulling out pasta sauce, boxes of pasta, microwave popcorn packages, canned soup, stuffing mixes, canned peaches, juice, plus several other goodies. I exclaimed that the family would be thrilled to have so much, her husband entered with the turkey in a bag, it must be about 25 lbs, it was huge!

Again, I said how thankful the family would be, she turned and said, oh, that's not all! She reached for a home made apple pie, she had just finished baking, plus a jar of homemade pasta sauce, I thanked her again. She offered a pumpkin pie too. I told her a bit about the family I was taking this to, how mom had needed surgery a few weeks ago, and was back in hospital with very serious complications, and the dad had been laid off a few weeks ago. With 5 little ones it was looking like a very bleak Christmas. She asked about toys, there was a new teddy bear they could add, but we decided one new bear would not divide well between 5 kids.

As we packed the generous gift in my car, the husband said they had a freezer full of food, that was the norm for them, he could not imagine having a family and no money to buy food, the worries that would bring ..... could I think of anything else they could do for this young family.

Driving back to town I called the family, to see if dad was going to be home. 'Someone asked me to find a family who needed help this Christmas, and I thought of you with mommy in the hospital. I just picked up a turkey and a few other things, could I drop them off?' "Awesome" was his immediate answer.

I kept reaching into the car adding to the pile in his arms, the smile on his face was huge, "this is great, home made pie too, awesome! Thank you!!!"

I loved being one of Santa's elves, what a pleasure to be part of making someone's Christmas a little bit easier. We know that turkey will be enjoyed and appreciated.

WE CAN MAKE DIFFERENCE

It is through the efforts of like minded people that we can improve the world around us; one person, one community, one country at a time. It is the cumulative effect of those who in their own way offer a hand up not a hand out that is and will continue to make an exponential difference in the world. It matters not if a person's contribution is of a monetary nature or a commitment of time or energy it all makes the difference.