Give Anyway

So my phone was on pause for a few days and well I kind of feel like I’ve been on pause for a while myself. November and December are months that are typically quite peaceful in my world. This may not be a good thing because it allows me too much time to dream. What do I dream of you ask? Well I’ll tell you, I dream of love, kindness and peace. I continually look at what more I can do and how I can better serve. How can I love without words?

I continually want to leave people in a better place than I find them. Nope I don’t always accomplish that but I sure do try. I get so caught up in all my busyness and it always seems to causes me to be on the go. It keeps my mind racing and I am constantly thinking of what I could do next. Busyness often consumes me so it is quite a task for me to pause and be present when I am face to face with another human. But I assure you being present is my goal.

Today a gentleman walked in and his shame consumed him as he asked for food. Today I met a woman with 5 children that will be homeless on Thursday. Today I spoke with a woman that will not have electricity tomorrow and she will not be able to give her child breathing treatments. Today a woman came in seeking help with her water bill and there was no help to be found. She will not have running water tomorrow. My heart hurts that I cannot always help but I am comforted in the fact that I can always love and it cost me nothing.

I was invited to a Christmas Party and all week I’ve looked forward to the end of the week so I could attend. Finally the day of the party arrives and I get caught up in the busyness of the office. And after all is said and done there will be no time for me to attend this party. Instead I head to deliver some goods. It is late and I worry because I don’t like the surroundings I find myself in. I slowly make my way around this unkept building and finally I spot the numbers I am looking for. Cautiously I park, a little unsure of things and yet I get out of my car anyway. I head towards the door and gently knock. A woman answers and instantly her eyes well up with tears. I explain I brought her some items and she softly speaks, “I am not worth this”. My heart crumbles inside at the thought of another being not seeing worth in themselves. I wonder if the busyness around her has caused people like me not to see her and treat her as significant. How often do we have opportunity to give and yet we choose not to?

I know, sometimes, even if it’s just for a moment we get to a place where we get tired of serving. Sometimes we even tire of giving. So let’s get a little crazy and change the way we serve, let’s change the way we give. Let’s give a little simpler maybe not so extravagant. Close your pocket book and open your heart. What if we paused our materialistic giving and gave dignity instead? What if we gave a little honor to those that have served this beautiful country we live in? What if we extended peace to those that are often forgotten? What if we loved those that don’t know how to love us back? What if we gave a single mother respect instead of judgment?

I know, you are right, it’s easier to give money than it is to give of your heart. Give anyway.

Shall we dance?

I do not think anyone should have to get out of bed when there is snow on the ground. That is why I woke up 45 minutes late. So I am dancing through the house trying to find the shower and my little runner beats me to it. Not fun! So I had to do what I haven’t done in months… Use the boy’s bathroom. Ok so it’s a little tidier than ours but still.

We are all in panic mode trying to get out of the house and the silly thing is no one can leave the house without a shower, not even the four year old. No, washing our face and brushing our teeth is not enough. We all require a shower, even if we had one the night before. Maybe not a bad habit?! Finally we make it out the door and that’s when the mishaps begin. Tristan tangles with an ice patch and the ice patch is victorious.

Yes, and meanwhile in the car my windshield is covered with ice. Not fun! I sit in the car talking to it as if that were going to hurry the ice along. Finally we drive to town and I drop off Josh, maybe a tad bit late. Now we fly on over to Tristan’s school and today I won’t even try and sneak him in. I will park right up front, march in like a champ and confess that I am late. He seems happy to be taking this adventure of a new door way. I however am not. I stand in line for his slip of shame and walk down the hall in hopes to still catch a breakfast plate. In the door way stand two Life Changers helping a child that seems to be having a meltdown. While another teacher sits on the floor with this child. Makes my heart warm.

We walk into the cafeteria and the cafeteria lady says, “there he is Tristan is here.” They happily fix him a place while his teacher goes to the lunch line and assists him in deciding on white or chocolate milk. While he, happily dances while he waits for his goods. Yes he dances at 4 he doesn’t understand that grandma has failed and brought him late to school. He dances, yes he dances that they celebrate his arrival. What if we all celebrated people regardless of their failures?

I depart with a mission. I think of my son, JD and he loves him some breakfast burritos. So much in fact that he believes he keeps this breakfast joint in business. Well I don’t want it to shut down because he is out for 8 months so I go and buy a burrito to pay tribute to my son. Okay I am not a fan of the taste really or the price to be honest. But I do it anyway. It allows me to dance even if he is not with me.  As I arrive and peer through the window.  I notice the lady preparing my food has a slight dance in her step as she works. Hmmm.

Now I am really late and I don’t have time to stop for my tea. Or do I? I head in that direction and low and behold I look to my right and there is a woman dancing at a bus stop. Yes she is dancing. It is probably about 15 degrees and I have a choice to make. I can look away and go get my tea or I can stop and ask if she trust me for a ride. I turn in and pull up to her. She looks at me a little crooked and maybe a little embarrassed as she has been caught dancing. She tells me she’s dancing to keep warm. No need to explain, as at this point in my day I get why we should all dance.

She is in need of a ride to the AISD administration building. She just got a job at one of the schools and she is needing to get some paper work turned in. She is happy to have a second job now. She is also happy to announce that she has been married for two years and just as proud to announce that they have two dogs. I hear her dancing as she speaks.

Half the population in our country is receiving government assistance. Just a thought but what if the other half behaved as humans and helped one person. Yes just one. Wow maybe we would eradicate poverty in our lifetime. Ok so no a ride maybe won’t eradicate poverty but adding value to someone in a way that removes shame will allow hope to creep in. And maybe just maybe that will eradicate poverty. Because you know when Hope is present nothing is impossible. Go out there and love. Go out there and dance. If you don’t have a reason to dance, do something for someone else. It may just allow you and them the opportunity to dance.   Live people live.