Straight from The Horse’s Mouth

We have two donation boxes at THM. One, promoted by BHS's Student Council, is for Toys. Last week customer gave a wad money and charged us with filling the box for the kids. The other box is a Coat Drive, sponsored by BHS and The Lord's Pantry. The same customer filled it to over flowing... several times. Since then others have given. I've said it before; we live in a generous community.

Some folks get sad around Christmas. Either they've lost a loved one and are missing them, or have feelings of fear and scarcity. Our hearts go out to them. The kicker is that this is the easiest time of year to alleviate those problems. Opportunities abound. Thankfully, happiness is a guaranteed by-product of Generosity and Compassion.

Joy never decreases by being shared, but sharing often takes courage. Not all are born with that trait. Some of us bail with abandon into the unknown and reap the benefits. Others need to see that they're born with the potential. A block to compassion is often judgment. Robin Ansley reminds me that when you feel for others, it means that you realize inadequacy, failure, and distress is part of our shared human experience. Luckily, giving is not a duty but a privilege; a privilege that's side effect is happiness. So, we all win!

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of sharing and caring, all of which have the ability to turn a life (or mood) around. Find it in yourself this Christmas to donate, and as Kahlil Gibran said "Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving."

Remember, money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow. We're proud of our highschool kids; they have generous and compassionate hearts. Let's support their drives. May they be successful in helping those who give and receive.