No Christmas Spirit to be had in my heart this year.
Until today. See, along with the joy of blogland, I belong to one of those message boards, I have for years. And dare I say it, those women are exactly what Maya Angelou was talking about when she described PHENOMENAL.
They've been with me from the high of the highs, celebrating my debut on a Soap, putting my commercials on you tube, attending my wedding, coming to my baby shower. They've been with me through the low of the lows, moving, my husband loosing his job, the economy, losing my beloved Minky...everything.
They've always got a funny snarky comment, they tell it like it is, and I have always been honored to call them my friends. Yeah....we met on line, but they've become a part of my daily life. We've visited each others homes, attended weddings, baby showers and certainly had our fair share of destination get togethers.
They are good people.
Today Santa arrived in the form of many boxes from UPS. Some with familiar names and addresses. Some anonymous. Presents for Max, and one or two for me and Zach. But really, for Max. Because Christmas is truly about the innocence, the love and the belief of children right?
Baby Max will have lots of presents to open now!! And it's not the presents, they are wonderful of course! But it truly is the thought. They know first hand how hard this year has been on me. On my marriage, on my self esteem and yes I admit it, my ego has been bruised this year too.
With a few presents they gave me more than they could have imagined. They gave me the Spirit of Christmas. They took the time to think of us, to think of Max. In this economy they spent their hard earned money to purchase and send these gifts. I am so, so humbled.
If anyone says Santa doesn't exist...well, they are just plain wrong.
Some of them put their return addresses but most just put SANTA on the return label. My heart is so full tonight. I've had Christmases where money was coming out of my ears and I spoiled everyone rotten. (I truly do love to buy and give the gifts more than I like to receive them. And I like to receive them, so that should tell you something!) This Christmas will go down in my memory as one of the best of my life. Because I was given more than just presents. I was given the gift of love, of charity, and of kindness.
I'll never be able to convey how much these women and their families have touched my heart. Ever. I am not a good enough writer to come close, and I am certain this is truly bordering on cheesey as it is.
I can promise to pay it forward. I may not be able to repay them for what they have given me, but I promise to carry it in my heart all year and try, even if it's just in a small way, to pass it along to someone else.
Merry Christmas to you all.
5 comments:
This made me cry. I have a similar community of women. We "met" 10 years ago online when we were all pregnant and they saw us through my dh's year of unemployment in so many ways. And sooo many other joys and crises over the years. One came to the birth of my child when I had no other family in the area, another flew my husband (who she had never met) out to his mother's death-bed. The list goes on and on *sob*. Women are truly phenomenal.
I am so touched by your friends and by your resolve to pay it forward. This is how the world becomes more beautiful.
Merry Christmas!
You deserve it stephie. Merry Christmas to you and your family ((((((hugs)))))
Merry Christmas to you too! When you dig yourself out of the snowdrift, go to the store, get some Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice, and mix half and half with 7-up. You will get some cranberry goodness of your very own!!
Beautiful post. You are truly blessed. May 2010 be a strong year full of wonderful things for your family.
I love that! We've had tight Christmases. One year we couldn't do much of anything but friends showed up with packages for the kids and they left more with us to give on Christmas morning as if from us. It was such a blessing!
Merry Christmas!
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