Thanks for listening, Otto is currently licking the tears off my face, and I am scolding him about never eating our socks again.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Gift of Giving
Warning, this is a bit of a "I'm-a-bit-emotional-about-the-events-of-the-evening" type rant. If you know Mr. C and I at all, you know we don't do the gift exchange thing most couples do. We just never have and we have never forced it. As much as I love the thought of pretty things, I love hanging out with Mr. C more - to me that is a gift. So we typically just go out to a nice dinner to celebrate each other - or go on a little road trip and shut the phones off. We believe in the little things - you know that about me. Anyway, every year during the holiday season, I get very sensitive about all of those people out there that can't afford the luxury of making the decision to not exchange gifts - they just simply can't give. So Mr. C and I make a point to take the funds we would have spent on each other, and spend it on others through a local giving tree. Folks, I am crying right now because the seven-year old little boy we drew this year just wanted socks. Just socks. Not socks and an x-box. Not socks and a cell phone. Just a pair of socks. That is heart breaking to me. It should be heart breaking to everyone. I don't know why I am writing this, I just needed to stop the tears and to encourage anyone out there in blogland to give. Even if it's just a little bit. Even if it's just socks. It means something huge to someone out there.
Thanks for listening, Otto is currently licking the tears off my face, and I am scolding him about never eating our socks again.
Thanks for listening, Otto is currently licking the tears off my face, and I am scolding him about never eating our socks again.
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18 comments:
Abby...this made me cry. Of all the things he could have asked for he wants socks. Puts a lot into perspective. I tell David every year I want nothing because he's the best gift I could have ever recueved. Your heart is beautiful Abby matches your soul.
You are so sweet.
We are much like you and the Mr. We are so grateful for what we have and on anniversaries and Christmases {though we spend Christmas with our families} we just enjoy being together, living in a beautiful place, and have fun. Giving to others is really important and it breaks my heart too when those less fortunate need so many basic things just to live.
Doing what we all can to help make their holidays better, even if it's something as simple as socks, means the world to them. :) {A}
My parents and I adopt a family every year, and it breaks my heart to read some of the things the kids ask for. And, the Mom rarely ever asks for anything.
I also volunteer about a week of my time to working my sorority's Christmas Tree lot, which benefits our local philanthropy office (we are only one of five cities that has a Delta Gamma Center for Visual Impairments). BUT, given that I'm no longer in St. Louis, I don't get to volunteer this year, and will instead be heading down to some of the homeless shelters to serve holiday dinners.
Brit - you are such an angel. Seriously.
Oh my gosh. He just wanted socks? That's so sad. But you know what? In a way he's so lucky that you picked up his card and that you care SO much.
Christmas can all get a bit too caught up in 'things' and reading a story like this is an important reminder that giving at this time of year needn't involve overspending on loved ones. A simple thought or good deed is where the love is.
Heartbreaking for sure. Just another reminder to be grateful for all the goodness we have around us. ...and I have a feeling that little boy is going to get the best darn socks you can find!
We've been practicing something similar. Instead of giving to our nieces and nephews, all the cousins go out shopping for another family. The year before last, it was one of the most touching things ever. 5 cousins - ranging from infant to 16 picking out bikes for 3 kids who had recently lost their mom and who had just found housing with their dad. We worried that our kids might be envious of bike buying given that none of them had new bikes. But, our kids spent so much time thinking about just the right bikes to get. They wanted the shiniest, the safest -- and, turned to us when we were suggesting not the top of the line, "We want them to have the best b/c maybe this will be there only bike ever." Best christmas ever, I tell you.
Thanks for sharing this! My moms group adopts a family and one little boy mostly wanted school supplies. It is so important to give and to appreciate what you have. Everyday, but even more this time of year. And it just shows what a good heart you have that you had such a reaction to a wish for socks. xx
oooh Abby.... once again your sweetness comes through as transparent as ever & hits straight to the heart. truly puts things in perspective... xoxo
Thank you Abby for this post.... sometimes I think we all need to take a step down and realize what is truly important in life... this little boy makes me put things in a new, different perspective. For that I thank you.... xo
Ok, NO. I'm NOT going to get all sentimental in this comment because 11 crying readers of Abby's blog is completely unproductive and someone needs to hold down the internet fort. In this dog eat dog world there is simply no time for tears. I close off 6 or so days a month, every month, for tears, and I get in all my tears on a 24 hour cycle that lasts those six days and then it's DONE, NO MORE TEARS. I'm lying right now like how Johnsons & Johnsons lies about their No More Tears shampoo. Your post is making me cry.
SOCKS??
I need a tissue.
Final note: your tears must be tasty, tasty delicious salty beads topped off with kindness cherries. Otto hit the owner-tear-lottery. Otto knows it.
You're such a cool, kind cat, Abby. I wanna lick your tears with Otto. But not really.
Do you have a p.o. box that I can send more "socks" to? (a.k.a. toys and candy)? My kiddos love doing stuff like that.
Brings tears to my eyes. What a wonderful idea. It's such a good feeling to give everything you can to someone in need. Merry Christmas!
Dammit, I'm crying, too! I'm finding myself one of these giving trees I keep hearing about (how have I missed them for years?) and making someone's Christmas brighter.
Loved this post! In a world of want, want, want it is so nice to just give! I remember in college every year I used to volunteer at the inner city schools and at Christmas time it was always so special to see those little eyes light up when they got to open up their one gift. Always reminded me of the true meaning of Christmas. xoxo
Thank you SO much for sharing. I love the idea of celebrating loved ones by spending time with them. It's thoughtful and genuine. And it's really wonderful that you're spreading your holiday love to those in need!
Hi Abby! I'm a reader of your blog and LOVE this post (and many of your others!). I'm a Rhode Islander who now lives in NYC and would love to give back to the wonderful people of our great little state! How can I help? Where can I send my socks?!?
this is so sweet.
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