Well, Thanksgiving was good. We spent time with the family and drug my poor Pop all over Dallas/Ft Worth. Celebrating the holidays with him is something that I really enjoy about being back in Texas and watching him with The Boys is a special treat for all of us.
One of the greatest things over the weekend was the purchase of the annual Angel Gift. We usually pull a name from the tree at the mall and then scout out a gift to leave on the same day. This year Sweet Centers class adopted a little boy and a little girl so we figured that would be a nice way to go and we knew that the kid lives in our community. Sweet Center brought the list home and we looked over the Needs and the Wants on his (we chose the little boy) list. The needs were things like clothes and socks. (To know a child needs these things renders my heart in two because I can't tell you how many times I've cursed at all the laundry that is done around here. With clothes still in the closet, I have an abundance of socks, underwear and all around ridiculous t-shirts to wash.) As for the Want items, he listed a bike. A bike, you know, like we have in our garage that never gets ridden because there are too many other toys to play with and it really doesn't seem all that cool outside of the store now, anyway.
So, Sweet Center wanted to buy the Want item-a bike. Of course, to a 9 year old buying a bike is way cooler then socks and shirts. I told him that we would see about it but couldn't guarantee that we would buy the bike ourselves. Maybe it would be something that we split with another family. He said he understood but still feels a bit of the shaft from the whole teacher gift episode from earlier this year. (If I haven't told you about how he got screwed on that whole thing and you really want to know, then call/email and ask. Writing about it now would be pointless since it's been resolved and all parties involved have been properly addressed. And really, it still ticks me off to no end!)
Anyway, over the weekend we go to Toys R Us to scout out some fun items for The Boys to put in their Dear Santa letter. We're walking every single aisle and I'm trying not to rush them when we wander into the bike area. Bright shiny bikes. Sweet Center looks at me and says, "We could do one these bikes for the little boy, Mom. They have a lot and we could find one for him." Yes, it's that feeling again. The one where you feel a bit guilty for all the things you have and others don't. Right there in the middle of the store, he looks at me with those big brown eyes and tells me that we should help other people. Yes, dammit, I know that! I just haven't figured out how to feed the world and bring about world peace. Oh, yes and still manage to balance the check book.
So, I'm going through that sales flyers later that day and see that Toys R Us is having a sale. On bikes. 50% off some models. I look up and see The Boys playing. All sweet and light. And then I realize that I don't have to save the whole world. Just do what we can to bring a smile to one little boy on Christmas. So, we all loaded up and went shopping for a bike.
It's red and shiny and Sweet Center thinks its perfect. Oh, we talked about sacrifice and how sometimes you have to step outside of your comfort zone to help others. Not exactly in those words because Hubba Hubba and I wanted to make sure that The Boys knew what we were talking about, after all.
And talking about it helped me realize that sometimes we forget. We forget the little things that we can do to make a difference. I can't feed everyone and I can't really jump in and help Bush figure out what to do with the mess he's made in Iraq, but we could spend $50 and buy a bike for a little boy who Wants one. And hopefully teach my children how lucky they are in the process.
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