December 21st, 2004
CHRISTMAS
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
It’s Christmas
Just one year ago on Christmas day, amidst a barrage of mortar shellings, I was loading up a truck of boxes of toys to give out to 250 families, 800 children, living in what used to be the cells of a torture prison. I drove for several hours before reaching the prison in Kurdish territory near the Turkish border. Hundreds and possible thousands of Kurdish men had been tortured and killed by Saddam’s men within the walls of this cement structure on the outskirts of a small Kurdish city in northern Iraq. The families of these men, now fatherless and husbandless, had moved into the vary cells where their loved ones had died. On this a very special Christmas day I, with my small band of Iraqi helpers, went from cell to cell or house to house, as we passed out toys to so many wonderful little children all dressed up in their finest clothes politely awaiting the arrival of Chief Wiggles. I will never forget that day.
With only a few days left before Christmas I am sure that many of you, myself included, are bustling about trying to take care of all the last minute presents and details of putting together what we hope to be a perfect Christmas holiday. The next few days will pass before we know it, the presents will be opened, the feast consumed, Christmas will come and go, and we will resume our normal hectic lives. We will then spend the next week preparing for New Years Eve festivities, without skipping a beat, having jammed even more activities into what is already an overloaded schedule. After all of that the only things that might have changed are we are now further indebt, a few pounds heavier, and we now have more stuff to worry about.
Without hardly a thought the next two weeks will pass into oblivion, gone forever. So busily engaged in holiday activities that we perhaps will fail to notice those in need, those alone without family, those away from home serving their country, those without substance or shelter, those who might be depressed this time of year, or those down on their luck. With all that we will do over the course of the next two weeks, will we take the time to really give of ourselves. Will we even do the small things like smile, open a door, lend a helping hand, or wish others a Merry Christmas.
Before action comes thought and without thought we will allow this time, this opportunity, to pass without a plan for might we might have done. There is a world around us that we at times choose to ignore, a world full of needy people who wish for life to be happier, easier, rosier, and more of with than without. Many will say to themselves, “I wish someone would stop by to say hi”, “I wish I was home for Christmas”, “I wish I had a turkey dinner”. “I wish I was warm”, “I wish I had a present”, “I wish someone remembered me”.
Sometimes a simple card, a sincere hello, or a gift of love, can make all the difference in someone’s life. If we could but remember to spend a few minutes before it is over to really think of what we might do for others. If we could make a commitment to reach out to those around us who might be in need this time of year. If we could use our creative skills to plan a way for each of us to give something back to those who always give to us. Take time to think of a course of action for giving. You have to stop, pause for a moment, to really give thought to what we might do to feel the essence of the spirit of Christmas.
Now is the time to prove to yourself if you are a giver or a taker. Now is the time to sincerely give of yourself to someone in need. Just look around there are people in need everywhere we go. Find a way to pay back and to pay forward those in your life. Pass the spirit along as you create a positive balance in your own personal giving bank account.
Please don’t forget the soldiers who are away from their loved ones during the holidays guarding your freedoms. Give whatever you can of your time, your money, your thoughts, or your love. Please plan to do something.
Chief Wiggles and the small gang of volunteers at Operation Give would like to sincerely wish all of you who have made so many magical things possible this last year a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Our deepest thanks go out to Angel, Doctor Hochman, and all the Tripolis who have done so many amazing things to give a new life for Tabby.
God Bless All of YOU.
Chief Wiggles
Doing it the wiggles way.
