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Who’s Your Christmas Hero?

I’m much better today. The itching is tolerable and the redness is subsiding. Thanks so much everyone for your concern and well wishes. I’ve been wanting to do this post for a while now before I got sick so here goes.

Black Friday; the instant replay over and over again of the Walmart worker who was trampled to death by shoppers so driven to get a bargain on more junk to fill their homes they lost all respect for human life. The constant repetition of this video did nothing to lessen its impact on me. I was sickened by people so indifferent and callous to human life that a television on sale would cause them to trample a fellow human. Unmitigated greed for “things” has taken over some people’s lives.

But are we really that depraved? Evil always commands more attention and sells papers. But what about the good in the world? We are surrounded by unsung heroes; those who go about helping others silently and without fanfare, without needing their names in the press or an acknowledgment of their good deeds.

As we approach Christmas, let’s share stories of people who have inspired us with their selflessness. Let’s focus on our humanity and the spirit of Christ within us.

I have never shared this story before with anyone (except my husband of course) but I thought I’d share the story of my Christmas hero with you.

Flash back to Christmas 1999. My son was a teenager and a video game fanatic. Sony Playstation was coming out with a new model just in time for the holidays and that was the ONLY thing he wanted. So did everyone else. The Playstations were nowhere to be found.

Every day, our conversations went like this:

“Did you find the Playstation yet?”

“No, I can’t find it anywhere.”

“You know I don’t want anything else. I have to have that. You’ve got to find it for me.”

If you’ve lived with teenagers, you know they can get particularly whiny if they think they are not getting their way.

I got tired of the daily drama and my patience was wearing thin.

If I never heard about that darn Playstation again, it would be too soon.

Isn’t this supposed to be the season of joy?

Not for me as the black cloud known as Playstation loomed over my life.

After hours of daily searching, I finally found one of those darn machines online. Of course, it was overpriced but my son had to have it so I went ahead and bought it. I took some consolation in the fact that I had saved my son’s life from certain ruin and Christmas peace would reign at our house.

Fast forward to a few days before Christmas.

I was wrapping presents with my son. The radio was on as background noise. The broadcast that day was about our local children’s hospital and the children who would spend their holidays there fighting for their lives. The DJ spoke about the playroom there and how donations were needed.

Later that day, my son once again asked me if I had gotten him the Playstation for Christmas. I was about to retort with something less than kind but he interrupted me and said, “No, Mom, you don’t understand. I want to know if you got it because I would like to give it to those children we heard about today. For their playroom. I want them to have it for their Christmas present.”

Is this my son? The one who was going to die if he didn’t get this big boy toy?

My son and I delivered the Playstation to the radio station that day. The were so touched by the gesture they wanted to interview my son on the air but he refused. He didn’t want it to be about him. It was all about the children.

He grew up that day right before my eyes.

That’s the story of my Christmas hero.

Who is yours?

Email me your stories at redpinemountainatgmail.com and I’ll publish them on my blog. Let the true spirit of the season shine.