The Rich Blessings of Friendship
By Luanne Hearn
“So in everything you do, do to others what you would have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
Anyone who knows me well would tell you Christmas is my favorite holiday. I
love everything about it – the lights, the sounds, the colors, and especially
the celebrations. So in early December,
when I heard about my 3rd-grade grandson’s Christmas Program, I
turned in my Vacation Request to take off work so I could go and was so excited
to attend that Friday morning! His
school is blessed to have a fantastic Music Teacher who certainly knows how to
teach the children and put on quite a spectacular show! From the opening number, when they ran to
their places on the gym floor wearing Christmas colors reindeer antlers, and
festive scarves, to the final piece performed with black lights and glow
necklaces, it was a fun, exciting show.
When they finished, the parents (and others) were asked to stay in the bleachers while they dismissed all the other students. Then we were able to go onto the floor to greet our kids. It was like the crowd swarming the field when the home team won the homecoming football game against their rival. Oh, the hugs and kisses! And then I saw him. The only little boy still seated on the floor, as they had been told to wait, with tears streaming down his face. His teacher knelt beside him to wipe away the tears but was quickly called to another student for Mom to take a picture. He was so sad and so alone in that gym full of people. I’m sure his family could not be there because of the “black-out weeks” before Christmas that many employers have during the weeks leading up to Christmas. If you don’t show up, you get fired.
For many taking Vacation for a school program is not an option. I did what I could. I went over to him to tell him how much I
enjoyed their show and to ask him which was his favorite song. I hope that helped. But the best was yet to come. After I went back to tell my grandson goodbye
so I could return to work, I watched them begin to gather. The other children went and sat beside him
one by one until there soon was a circle of about six kids talking, laughing,
and just being with him when he needed them most!
It
warmed my heart, and I thought what a lesson we could all learn from those
sweet children. How much better the
world could be if our eyes could just be open to the sad and lonely to talk to
them, to encourage them, or to sit and be with them.
Prayer: Holy Father, please open our eyes to see our brother or sister in
need. Help us remember that sometimes
all that is needed is our presence. Amen
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