12.17.14
On the fringe of….Christmas…
...and there is simply so much to do and not enough time. Is that cliche' enough for you? Between the shopping, treat-making, card writing, mailing, budgeting, wrapping, delivering, & thank you noting, I think I've slept about one night's worth of sleep in the last ten days combined. Oh and then there's regular working and mothering. OH and we're about to move into a new house...that's not done...My eyeballs literally burn...but... I love it. I absolutely love Christmas for so many reasons. Maybe it's the fact that M (age 4) sings along to every song in the car instead of fussing about her car seat. Maybe it's that people say the word "happy" or "merry" to me on the daily. Maybe it's the fact that it's my Godchild's very first Christmas. Maybe it's the fact that I'll get to see my brother next week. Maybe it's because I have a reason to write down "I love you" and all the reasons why I'm lucky to have someone in my life without it sounding weird. Maybe it's that I love hors d'oeuvres and wine. Maybe it's that I love giving gifts. Maybe it's that I love twinkling lights and the smell of pine. Maybe it's the fact that I love parties, because it's a great excuse to spend time with my husband. Maybe it's all of those things but maybe it's mostly because of this... The face K (age 7) made the entire way to school this morning. And the tone in her voice. It was a face of anticipation and tone of excitement. And you may be guessing that she was so excited about some holiday school activity or some present she would receive today. But it wasn't that at all. My little girl was super eager to see someone this morning. She was eager to see her and to give her something. And she doesn't even know her name. She's the lady who needs a miracle. The sign that she holds on the corners of Claiborne Ave. each morning says so. And my little girl hopes to help her find one. She picked out a Christmas card for her, "because no one else might." She asked me for money to put inside of the envelope. And she asked me to make a gift bag for her, "with things she really needs." We brought these things and hoped to pass her on the way to school each day this week. And when she wasn't where we thought she'd be, K worried. I told her that today, we would definitely see her, but we didn't….& the thought of driving extra distance in the construction zone we call New Orleans seemed out of the question. I thought like I do so often, "We just don't have time. What about work?" But that's when I noticed that face, K's face, my little girl's beautiful, excited face, in the rear-view mirror. Giving this bag and this envelope to the lady who needs a miracle, has been the most important thing to K so far this Christmas. Not the fact that we're waiting to move into a new home with a room of her own decorated to her own taste. Not the gifts she's written Santa about. Not the camping trip with her cousin on the horizon. Those are all things she's eagerly awaiting, but not like this. Not like the delivery of her gift to the lady that needs a miracle. So even though we didn't have time, we turned right when work and school were straight ahead. It was worth the detour, worth the extra few minutes, worth the extra blocks away that I'd eventually park the car at school. K was beaming. And when I saw our miracle lady's silhouette from the distance I beamed too. M clapped her hands cheered. And when I handed the bag to this woman, we all felt how truly GOOD it feels to GIVE. And we all felt how lucky we are to have each other. I think about it often...that I am lucky. And I am so lucky to have kids that get it...the true meaning of Christmas; to do what Jesus would have done if He were late for work, but had an important ray of light to deliver to someone in need. My girls get that. And I am so glad that they do. And moments like these are why I love being on the fringe of this crazy and chaotic time called Christmas.
With Love & Gratitude,
Fringie
