Be the Miracle

There is nothing better than sitting by the fireplace, gazing at the beautifully lit tree in your zebra print pajamas sipping a grande white chocolate mocha espresso early on Christmas morning. I just love being home!

Everyone is still asleep-- so I am taking advantage of my free time for journaling and reflecting (at last!).

We attended a Christmas party at my aunt’s house a couple nights ago. There were three major groups of people there, none of which was my typical crowd. My three year old cousin Abigail and I chose to hang out with the teenage girls. I found it amusing that I was in the same position as a toddler as she too was looking for friends.

I have been to the mall everyday for the past two weeks, and yesterday was no exception. I dragged my sister with me to shop for my brother’s Christmas present. Because I am not aware of his current collection, my sister would have been a tremendous help because she’d be able to advice whether or not he already owns anything I wanted to purchase. After an hour of searching, I resorted to a gift card.

It was interesting how much friendlier everyone is around this time of year. I managed to strike up a conversation with anyone I was in line with. People actually want to talk, even if it is simply to vent about the horrendous parking situation, or the never-ending line, or the search for the “perfect” gift. Despite the stress, everyone was still very friendly and wished me a very Merry Christmas. From Macy’s to Blockbuster, Starbucks to the gas station, everyone was absolutely jolly! Oh, what a great day!

Even work was wonderful and simply thinking about the past two weeks gives me warm fuzzies. The Be the Miracle campaign was something I had been helping with since the end of July. Simply put, I designed the wish slips containing our kid’s wishes and people have the opportunity of granting them. All the wishes were filled, but two outstanding stories make me realize the true spirit of giving.

Sisters Megan and Lauren, ages 11 and 8, normally save up their allowances to grant two kid’s wishes for the holidays. This year, however, they wanted to give much more. The two girls love to figure skate, and thus came up with Project Toy, a skate-a-thon benefiting abused children. The girls skated 276 laps total, and raised over $3,500. I had the pleasure of welcoming them when they dropped off the checks, and giving them a certificate expressing our sincerest thanks.

Also, while in the lobby, an older gentleman was thoughtfully examining the wish slips we hung on the tree. I smiled at him. I recognized him as the repairman for our kitchen appliances. He approached me inquiring details and after briefly explaining the program, he handed us a wad of cash and asked to remain anonymous. He liked the idea, but he does not have the time to shop for gifts. We thanked him, and were surprised to count over $250 in our hands. That episode gave me the chills.

May the spirit of Christmas be with you and your loved ones all through the New Year!