Blog Action Day - A Story of Charity

Although I no longer celebrate, the greatest Christmas I remember was also the bleakest. Growing up, my family was poor, dirt poor at times. On top of that, my mom was a multiple divorcee, which often left her to act as sole provider.

Many a time, my family subsisted on beans, hamburger meat and salmon. I grew up in Alaska, so even though we didn't always catch them ourselves, people were always gifting us with fish. Well, the year of the Christmas in question, we even lacked those basics. My mom was stubborn, refusing to admit we were poor, refusing to accept handouts or to apply for food stamps.

Christmas was fast approaching and my mom couldn't even put food on our table. Her stress was palpable. Our home was on edge, and the youngest siblings consistently asking when we were going to see Santa only added to the tension. As the oldest, I felt for my mom. She worked for 12-14 hours a day, and still she didn't make enough to keep the bills up to date or to fill the fridge. In my mind, there would be no Christmas that year. Then a miracle happened.

I woke to watch my brothers and sisters while my mom went to work. She was running late and was yelling about making sure the dishes and laundry got done before she returned from work. She dashed out the door barking some other last minute orders, when she stumbled over something. About to yell at us for leaving our stuff in front of the door, she stopped and gasped, clutching her hands to her mouth. Tears swelled in her eyes as she turned to look at me.

She signaled me to come to her, to help her with what caused her to stumble. I joined her to find four bags stuffed with groceries, enough to fill our fridge and more. There was even a turkey. Suddenly, thanks to the kindness of an anonymous soul, Christmas didn't seem so bleak.