Than you Carol Williams and Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 for sponsoring the December 2024 challenge. Until this morning I did not think about participating but I awoke early and sitting here with a cup of coffee something came to mind.
As a youngster, I experienced the gift of giving and the joy it brought to my Dad. He got me up on Christmas morning and off we went to pull a surprise. A family we knew had little money and five kids. It was going to be a stark Christmas. We pulled into the driveway and my Dad emptied the trunk with many presents he placed on the front porch. We then went to the back door and knocked. My Dad asked if they had any hot coffee. As the adults sat at the kitchen table, my Dad asked the kids if they had checked the front door?
Were they surprised to see the pile of presents! But the biggest gift of all was the look on my Dad's face watching them. It was a lesson to me that if you have the means help someone in need.
When JoAnn and I lived in Palatine, Illinois we belonged to a local church where one member, with two children was recently divorced and down on her luck. Her car broke down and others had offered her the use of a car. She refused because of her pride. We had just bought a new vehicle and had the other one in the driveway taking up space. The light bulb went on, thanks to what my Dad had done years earlier.
I contacted her and asked if she could do me a big favor. We had a short driveway and the extra car was always in the way. Could she store it for us, as a favor? And while it was stored there feel free to use it. She responded yes and was elated. My heart was about to burst as I dropped off the car. She kept it for a couple of months as a favor to us. When hers was fixed it became a burden and she returned it.
Life goes on, but the favor remains in my mind. Her favor was a great gift to us. Thank you for allowing me to share the story.
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