ClairBear226
Platinum Member
My oldest daughter (26 yo) has a good friend that she's known since high school. Aimee was widowed 2 years ago. Her husband, Jason was killed in Afghanistan, leaving Aimee a very young widow. This left Aimee a single mom, a full time student, and minus her best friend/ husband. It's been a wicked few years for her. My wonderful daughter stepped up to the plate when she was needed. She organized a candlelit vigil for Jason immediately, has helped organize multiple memorial events for Jason, has been there to help with Aimee's daughter, and has been a truly good friend when it was really needed. I have to say, I'm very proud.
Sandi's had a difficult year. She had a baby in January and hemorrhaged. Her son is a colliky baby, and she's had her hands full. She damaged a tendon in her ankle, and had to have an emergency appendectomy this year as well, meaning she's had to miss huge amounts of work between the three events, and spent part of the year unemployed. She's on a good path in general, but has been frustrated lately that every time she seems to get ahead a bit, something else clobbers her. She works as a 1:1 teacher with autistic kids, and comes home daily with sore mucscles, bite marks, and bruises. We've had family difficulties this year with her grandmother and 24yo sister, and she's just generally had a difficult, disheartening year. No matter how hard it's been, though, not once has she neglected her family or friends.
Sunday morning as she was leaving the house with the kids in tow, a woman she didn't know showed up at her door with a large bag. She wouldn't say who she was, or why she was there. She only confirmed Sandi's name, handed her the bag, and told her, "Pay it forward".
Inside the bag were presents for the kids. There was a large jar full of change, a $25 Visa gift card, a book, a letter, and a $500 Visa gift card! She was floored. The letter explained the tradition, and that this had been done for a family member of theirs when it was needed most. The book had been included, further explaining the tradition. The family member it had been given to had not just needed the financial help, she had needed the emotional boost of knowing she was loved and cared for and deemed worthy of such a gift, without ever knowing where it came from. It had made a huge difference to her, and so she had asked her family to help her pass along the tradition this year. Sandi had been selected. The letter talked about my daughter's giving heart, her loyalty , and her kindness, and that it was time she knew it was appreciated - just when she needs to know it most.
Sandi was able to figure out by the nicknames used on the gifts for the kids ("Monkey" and "Peanut") that this huge act of kindness had come from Aimee's family. My baby called me with happy tears in her voice as I was driving home from seeing a patient on Sunday morning. It did her heart good, and it helped mine out too.
[DLMURL]http://www.christmasjars.com/[/DLMURL]
I've had a hard time this year. A lot of us around here have. Nothing much has been able to pull me out of the hole I've been in. I haven't been able to get into Christmas shopping, haven't baked a thing, and wanted nothing to do with putting up the tree this year. But this is the one thing that helped me feel better. And next year, it will be our turn to pass on the tradition.
The site is worth looking at - I added the link above. Merry Christmas, guys.
Sandi's had a difficult year. She had a baby in January and hemorrhaged. Her son is a colliky baby, and she's had her hands full. She damaged a tendon in her ankle, and had to have an emergency appendectomy this year as well, meaning she's had to miss huge amounts of work between the three events, and spent part of the year unemployed. She's on a good path in general, but has been frustrated lately that every time she seems to get ahead a bit, something else clobbers her. She works as a 1:1 teacher with autistic kids, and comes home daily with sore mucscles, bite marks, and bruises. We've had family difficulties this year with her grandmother and 24yo sister, and she's just generally had a difficult, disheartening year. No matter how hard it's been, though, not once has she neglected her family or friends.
Sunday morning as she was leaving the house with the kids in tow, a woman she didn't know showed up at her door with a large bag. She wouldn't say who she was, or why she was there. She only confirmed Sandi's name, handed her the bag, and told her, "Pay it forward".
Inside the bag were presents for the kids. There was a large jar full of change, a $25 Visa gift card, a book, a letter, and a $500 Visa gift card! She was floored. The letter explained the tradition, and that this had been done for a family member of theirs when it was needed most. The book had been included, further explaining the tradition. The family member it had been given to had not just needed the financial help, she had needed the emotional boost of knowing she was loved and cared for and deemed worthy of such a gift, without ever knowing where it came from. It had made a huge difference to her, and so she had asked her family to help her pass along the tradition this year. Sandi had been selected. The letter talked about my daughter's giving heart, her loyalty , and her kindness, and that it was time she knew it was appreciated - just when she needs to know it most.
Sandi was able to figure out by the nicknames used on the gifts for the kids ("Monkey" and "Peanut") that this huge act of kindness had come from Aimee's family. My baby called me with happy tears in her voice as I was driving home from seeing a patient on Sunday morning. It did her heart good, and it helped mine out too.
[DLMURL]http://www.christmasjars.com/[/DLMURL]
I've had a hard time this year. A lot of us around here have. Nothing much has been able to pull me out of the hole I've been in. I haven't been able to get into Christmas shopping, haven't baked a thing, and wanted nothing to do with putting up the tree this year. But this is the one thing that helped me feel better. And next year, it will be our turn to pass on the tradition.
The site is worth looking at - I added the link above. Merry Christmas, guys.
