remembering i am blessed

So, every once in a while I post a personal write up here on my site.

For the most part I keep them marked as ‘private’ so I get out what ever it is going on in my world but today I am sharing.

I hope you all don’t mind.

So it is Christmas in my world and the world of so many others.

I understand and respect that there are some folks out there celebrating their holidays, whether it is Kwanzaa or Hanukah or one that I do not know of, and to you I wish you greetings of joy and celebrations.

But in my world it is Christmas. Yes it is a celebration of the birth of Christ and for those who remember that is what this holiday is really about then a blessed joyous celebration to you.

But what it also means for most all children/families is it is time for  Santa Claus which in turn means presents. Which for some means great heartbreak and feeling of letting down in some adults minds/worlds

so if you have read this you may be thinking that is what this is about.. the constant conflict between whether it is Merry Christmas (yes) or Happy Holidays (for some also yes). but that is not what my post is about today.

you see i visited our local food bank today.

I am fortunate enough to work for a company who gives back to their community… and encourage their employees to do so as well.

Ever November/December  for years we all gather together, pick angels off the tree, and grant Christmas wishes through presents to children in our area through our local food bank and purchase food boxes and turkeys for families. As well we put out a ‘clothes line’ for people to drop off mitts, hats, scarves etc and to donate gentle used coats and boots.

Well today I delivered those clothing items to our food bank.

I left there feeling very fortunate and flooded with a host of memories.

There were a lot of ‘sad’ faces there today.

Adults were there picking up their gifts from “Santa” for the children.

Their faces were almost like they were for a lack of a better word, ashamed to accept a hand up ..

You know which face I mean I am sure.

They say one in four will at some point in their lives need for themselves or for someone they  know and love a gentle hand up

So when I was there I witnessed one woman who was so overwhelmed she could do nothing but cry. There was a kind volunteer there assisting her, trying to comfort her, bringing her a drink and a warm blanket. Just down the hall I overheard a worker on the phone with another soul telling them she is sorry she can’t help them / do any more for them. i saw various folks outside wondering if they were to go in and some who ‘braved’ going in and getting their assigned numbers to move on to the next station.

I am so very blessed.

I remember the year that that was me. When I had to ask for a hand up in order to make Christmas a ‘happy’ place for my son. I remember feeling lost, alone, helpless. I felt today that I knew exactly what these souls were feeling. I so badly wanted to sit down and talk to the one woman and tell her to have faith.. it will all be okay. I wanted to just hug her, hold her, comfort her and let her know in the end what will matter the most is that she did the best she could. Her children won’t remember that they didn’t  get the exact X,Y,Z that they asked for but that they are loved and cherished and that you did the best you could!

and by no means am i implying that we should feel pity for them…because i am not. i would ask though that you send a prayer out to your God, your Goddess, your Creator, your Lord, your Buddha or what ever your ‘source’ is that those who are less fortunate then you find strength and means to turn there sadness into joy.

now i know i am no writer but hope my message came though

i can tell you i do feel with all my soul and show great emotion when it comes to this.  when it comes to most things in my life. so please if you get a chance give what you can give, whether it is money or time, an ear or a shoulder to others. you truly will be blessed for sharing.

i know i am.

Diana