Sunday, December 15, 2013

Gifts from Jail

It was snowing on December 23, 1968 in the mountains of West Virginia.  Mom was baking Christmas cookies while my brother and I poured over the Sears Christmas catalog, like we’d done for the past six weeks. We were checking our lists just to make sure the page numbers, colors and item numbers were right.  We didn't want Santa Claus to be confused.

Oh, I couldn't wait for the big day because I had asked for a shiny, purple spider bike—with a banana seat and raised handlebars.  I imagined it taking me down the streets of Beckley in style and make me the envy of all my friends. I would be devastated if I didn't get it.

Dad was late coming home from work at the fire station, but finally the car pulled up. We heard him stomping the snow off his boots and shaking the snow off his coat. When he came into the kitchen and kissed mom, we knew something was different. 

Dad told us about a fire that afternoon.  An entire house burned to the ground leaving a family with ten children homeless.  And even worse, the little bit of Christmas that they had been able to get with their welfare check, was gone—up in smoke.

I felt so sad for that family, but so glad that we had a house, a tree and a place for Santa to leave our toys.  But somehow, the joy went out of the day.  After dinner I went to my room with a tummy ache.  Even the Christmas cookies didn't look good to me. 

Restless and unable to fall asleep, I went to my closet and pulled out my paper dolls.  I was too old for them anyway.  The Operation game was boring and I never played the Racco card game anymore either. I found my favorite things and began stacking some of them in a pile.  Excitedly, I went downstairs to get an empty box.  I grabbed a handful of cookies on the way back to my room.

After packing the box with my favorites, along with some that hadn’t been played with since last Christmas, I ate my cookies and drifted off to sleep. I dreamt of a shiny purple spider bike with the banana seat and raised handlebars.

The next morning, I showed the box of toys to dad and asked him to take me to the fire station. Without any explanation, he understood.  Dad carried the box to our blue ‘64 Buick Skylark. As he put it in the trunk, I yelled, “Wait!”

I ran back into the house and looked at my bride doll sitting on the bed.  I loved that doll, especially her beautiful dress.  I picked up the doll and put it back down.  Then I heard the car horn and picked up the doll again and ran down the stairs. Just as dad was about to close the trunk I said, “No, let's put the box in the backseat.”

We drove the short distance through downtown Beckley. I saw last-minute shoppers running into Grants and Murphy's as they brushed the snow off of their shoulders. At the fire station dad took the box out the back seat while I adjusted the dress on my bride doll.  He asked me if I really wanted to give it away and said I didn't have to. I just smiled at him and put the bride doll on top of the box.

Leaving the fire station, I saw the look of pride on my father’s face.  At the same time I didn't understand my own emotions.  When I got home and saw my empty closet all I could think about was that there was room for all the new toys!

The following morning I saw my new bike—a shiny purple spider bike with the banana seat and raised handlebars.  I just wanted to go rip roaring up and down the streets for all my friends to see.  Then I remembered the children who didn't have a home, and suddenly my heart was flooded with gratitude.  Oh I had said, “thank you” all my life—“Thank you Mom, thank you Dad, thank you Nannie, thank you Granddad,” but now I really meant it.  I was so grateful for my loving family, our home and all of our blessings.

In one small act I had moved from being a kid who was only thinking of what I wanted to one of compassion and gratitude.  Now, don't get me wrong, I still showed off that shiny purple spider bike with the banana seat and raised handlebars. 

I had wanted to make a difference for those kids whose home had burned down and instead the experience had made a difference in my life.  I learned that the more I gave, the bigger impact it had on my own life.

I was reminded of this story when Barb, a middle aged, soft spoken woman, talked to our church congregation a few weeks ago. She told us that she had not been with her children at Christmas for the past two years because she was in jail. She was relieved that her children would get Christmas presents from her that were bought by generous people. She asked us to buy gifts for the children who have a parent who is incarcerated.

Today’s gift was to take presents for a one-year-old girl whose father is in jail. The gift tag provided to us said, “Your Dad misses you very much and can’t wait to see you.” We placed the packages in a pile with others for Barb to distribute. I hope the teddy bear, toy phone and outfits help the little girl know her father is thinking of her.

In Giving,


Robin


No comments:

Post a Comment