It is funny how that when you grow older(all of you are young!)you think back to your most memorable Christmasas and you can't remember what you got! Most of the time you remember what you gave and if they liked it, who you were with and have wonderful memories of the fun you had watching the little ones, ect.
As most of you know and some remember, I worked in Ms. for 5 years for the Dr.s Barnes! One being a surgeon and his wife a physchologist! It was interesting to say the least! We had patients who brought us goodies and presents each year-but there is one present that I shall never forget! We had a patient who had a history of blood clots from time to time and so she saw us on a regular basis. She had medicaid, which meant she had little of this world's goods. Both of her legs were amputated below the knee and she was blind. She was confined to a wheel chair. her husband had been a sharecropper(one who farmed someone else's land and was allowed to live on the property.) Although her husband was dead, she had been able to live in the old shack of a house. She had an appointment with us right before Christmas. As her grandchild pushed her wheelchair into our office, her face was all aglow! In her hand she held four twist tie plactic bags that were full to the brim of mostly leaves and dirt with a few pecans! She handed them to me and said for me to give Dr. Barnes, my self and the others in the office each one. "Merry Christmas," she exclaimed, so proud of her gifts! She went on the say that she had gotton her granddaughter to push her down to the pecan trees and she got on her hands and knees and picked up the pecans; because she was blind, she had picked up dirt, leaves and all! I quickly hugged her frail little body and realized that she had given the greatest gift I would recieve that year and maybe ever. She understood the joy that comes from giving! What a sacrifice she had made to get that gift to us. And as long as I live I will treasure that wonderful memory! For like the Savior she had given all she had to give!
I am so grateful this Christmas to have that wonderful memory, I am thankful that she was my friend and in her glowing face that day I saw and understood the real meaning of Christmas! How I treasured that little bag of pecans, a wonderful memorable Christmas gift!
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5 comments:
I love that story and once again it brought tears to my eyes as I read it. It sure helps to read that and remember what Christmas really is all about
Oh, thank you for sharing that story. I will be talking about gifts in my seminary class on Friday and I think that will be the perfect story to share! It made me cry and remember that is what makes Christmas special, people like that!
I loved hearing that story on Christmas eve...it made me really really sad that we often lose the joy of giving!!! Thank you for reminding me! I loved having Christmas with you, it was so perfect at your house Christmas eve even if it was really really late!!
I feel the same way as mom & aunts about the story and they already said it. Merry Christmas, Grandma. I hope we can see you soon. I miss you and the kids think every old lady they see is Grandma...it's time for a visit! (uh...not that you're old of course...)
Here's a gift you gave that I bet you don't know you gave....the gift of a love for the movie "The Sound of Music". I knew my girls love it and I read today that it is Beth's favorite too...I bet she learned to love it like my girls did...while visiting Grandma! Just thought I'd point that out...
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