What I’ve come to realize, especially as my kids and their wants get bigger and more expensive this time of year, is that love is what fills the gaps of Christmas.
It’s impossible for so many — too many — of us to fill the tree with gifts, and I’ve struggled long and hard with this myself. Sometimes, we have to realize that love is free and it is what we need the most anyway.
But the pressure of what society says I need to do to have a “good Christmas” is heavy.
I asked my 12-year-old daughter what she would do if she were Santa Claus for a day. She told me that she would buy toys for kids who couldn’t afford them and build houses for the homeless. Her situation is a little different because she knows some of our local homeless by name, and she loves them as we can as acquaintances. But her matter-of-fact answer was solid. She knew without hesitation what she thought was needed.
My thoughts this Christmas go to the woman people have mentioned on social
media who is 31 weeks pregnant and living in a tent. I don’t know her, but her
blurred face pops into my mind at random moments.
I have so many questions: Where is she going to stay when she has the baby? Is she going to give the baby up for adoption, and, if so, will it be by choice or by force because she has no place to live? What is she going to do? Love doesn’t need a home, so what will happen if she has to give up that child based solely on adverse circumstances? Dear God, protect her heart.
My Christian upbringing fills my holiday with talk of Jesus The Savior, who was
born in a manger. His parents were traveling to be counted in the Census when
he was born in a country in which he was a stranger. Here, in our city and our
state, people are living without homes. People are hungry. Children didn’t have
presents under the tree because their parents couldn’t afford to buy them. Some
children won’t even have a tree. People searched for a hot meal on Christmas
day when the missions were closed for the holiday … there are so many people
who don’t have the resources to celebrate, and their stories won’t be recorded.
Their stories won’t be written and passed down from generation to generation. They won’t be idolized or be the focus of society’s beliefs.
As we head into the new year, let’s focus on what makes us feel more empathy
for others and act more charitably. Why don’t we do that all year long? Instead
of only gathering supplies for our homeless neighbors, why don’t we start
putting pressure on our city officials to find a way for more mental health and
homeless services here?
Why don’t we translate others’ pain into power? Why don’t we work so our city is the first one to put rent caps on properties within city limits so more people can live in a house and less in a tent?
Instead of only giving to food pantries, why don’t we call our elected officials and demand that they work to find a solution to hunger and food insecurity throughout our state? What if we held voter registration events so we can vote out of office those who are erasing protections from LBGTQ kids in the foster care system?
Maybe, just maybe, instead of worrying about what’s under someone’s tree one day out of the year, we should lock arms with them and push for the change that is needed. Maybe we should love our neighbors every day of the year and be the voice that they might not have.
Let’s gift them our privilege and power, because that, my friends, is the gift that keeps on giving.
