I'm a collector of sorts. None of the things I have collected across the years has any real monetary value. From the General's perspective, there is no need to have more than one grandfather clock in any home.
Prior to our move into temporary housing, I had three grandfather clocks and seven or eight windup clocks that chimed on the quarter hour. Some of them I bought new and some are antiques. I don't have a preference. I like them all.
Of course, I like the sound of Westminster chimes and I purposefully never set the clocks for exactly the same time. I like the continuous sound of the chimes. Unfortunately, I can't say the same is true for the General.
I didn't know until we moved that I had six tennis rackets in our closet. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that the General insisted that in the next house we would not share a closet.
By the way, that is fine with me. She has a collection of Stash purses in all sizes and shapes. Why she needs that many is beyond my understanding. They, too, were in our closet.
I'm dumber than dirt, but I'm smart enough not to suggest that she get rid of any of her purses. Before I get into trouble, I probably need to change the subject.
Let me add that I have one collection that doesn't take up a lot of space and the General has no idea of the value it holds for me. I collect stories. Sometimes I write them down and file them away on my computer. Of course, that poses a problem. Will I ever find them again? Sometimes they just surface in the resources of my memory.
Tonight the General and I will attend the Christmas Eve Candle Light service at church. It is always filled with a surprise or two that sometimes makes its way into my collection of stories. One year someone suggested that several people share something related to their favorite Christmas ornament.
For many years, the General has collected official State of Texas ornaments that can be purchased at the State Capitol. I'm already regretting mentioning that because I don't think she ordered one this year.
One of the ladies at church who moved to Dripping Springs from Missouri shared a story at the Candlelight service that immediately made its way into my treasure chest of memories.
Instead of a Christmas ornament, she brought a bowling pin with her to church. It met the definition of a Christmas ornament because at the time it had been under their Christmas tree for twenty years. It was probably five years ago that she shared the story.
She began by saying: "I don't want to talk about a Christmas tree ornament. I want to talk about a Christmas gift. It has been under my Christmas tree for twenty years." Immediately, I wondered where she was going with her story. Twenty years is a long time to keep a gift under the tree.
As her story unfolded, I was awed by her experience.She mentioned that during her children's adolescent age-years, they lived with a sense of entitlement. In addition, both her son and daughter didn't seem that appreciative of all they were provided. They also both had an endless list of things they wanted to be gifted at Christmas.
She found it troublesome and thought her children might be enlightened if they knew what it was like to be without. Consequently, she came up with a plan for their family to provide for a family in need at Christmas. She expected that her two children would accompany her in delivering presents for the family without resources.
Her son said flat out: "I'd be embarrassed to death if someone brought Christmas presents to us, I'm not doing it!" I'm sure it was mostly gentle redirection, but the mother put her son on notice that his participation was non-negotiable. I think at the end of the day, she sternly expressed it like this: "Get in the car! You are going!"
The family in need was a household of three. There was a father, a mother, and their seven-year-old daughter. Reportedly, the family had a very tiny one-bedroom house and they were without resources.
The mom orchestrating the shopping spree went all-out in attending to the unmet needs. She purchased a Christmas tree, decorations, and a stand for the Christmas tree along with a myriad of presents for the seven-year-old and both of her parents.
Out of her family's abundance, she wanted to make this Christmas special for the family in need.The family in need was so appreciative. The little girl expressed dismay that all those presents were for her and her parents. It wasn't at all the kind of Christmas the little girl or her parents were expecting.
When the family providing gifts wished them God's blessings as they bid farewell, the little girl said: "No you can't go! I have something I want to give you for Christmas."
The mother providing the gifts declined by saying: "No, we came to bring you gifts. You are kind to want to give us something, but our purpose was simply to bring gifts to you and your parents. We really don't want or need anything in return."
The little girl was adamant: "No! No! Please don't go until I get a present for you!" There was a pleading sound of urgency in her voice. The seven-year-old continued: "You've given me so many things, please let me give this to you."
The little girl then ran toward her bed and halfway crawled under the bed and pulled out a bowling pin. Bringing the bowling pin back to the lady, she said: "I found three of these at the bowling alley. They were throwing them away."She continued: "They were really heavy and hard to carry, but I managed to get home with them. I knew we had nothing for Christmas. I wanted something for my mom and dad and I wanted something for me. These three bowling pins were our Christmas presents for this year. I brought them home. I want you to have the one I got for me. Please take it. You have given us so many things".
The mother sharing the story said: "I thought I was taking my children to learn about the true meaning of Christmas. Instead, I am the one who really learned something. I knew what it was like to give gifts out of abundance. I had no idea what it would be like to have a generous spirit while living with a sense of scarcity. Consequently, for the past twenty years, that bowling pin has been placed under our tree to remind me of the generous spirit of a seven-year-old child who recognized it is more blessed to give than to receive."
That story brings tears to my eyes. It doesn't take up a lot of room in my memory bank and I'm choosing to hang onto it.
All the Best!
Don
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