whats the meaning of christmas for you

11.29am


hello hello my fellow friends. so whats going on with you? i trust that you guys are hanging in there till xmas time. oh have i already told you that i will be very erratic with my blogging session? i do apologize in advance. i'll be super busy helping my parents and prepping the house and food..lots to do!!

speaking of christmas time, you know, its a time for giving and sharing right? its not about how expensive your gifts are or how big. you dont have to boast about what you got  to your friends. you do not know what situation your friends are in, whether they are struggling financially or something unplesant going on in their family or at work, but  whatever. do have a heart for them. its not always about you. try to keep that in mind. thats why i always try to keep myself in check.

i saw on facebook recently where one of my friends posted a true story in america. it brought tears to my eyes. the video touched my heart. click this link to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfwvlgBR6xY

the short story is where santa claus went to an elementary school and he stopped by the 2nd grader class, bearing all kinds of gifts for the kids. each kid apparently wrote to santa what they'd wanted and santa granted their wish. everybody was just super estatic, coz they got what they've asked for. all but one lil girl. her wish - to see her daddy.  now her dad was based in iraq as a contractor trying to rebuild their much needed electrical infrastructure. and they havent seen each other in 2 years,  except for a short 2 week break that her dad got.

so anyways, the interviewer asked the lil girl

interviewer - do you know that what  you're asking is kinda tough?
girl- ya...but its also tough to go around the world in one night.. 
interviewer - thats true.

that lil girl misses her dad alot. so long story short, during that 2 week break in germany, the lil girl got to see her dad and spent quality time with him and  they both exchanged heart shaped key rings(dad carries hers and she has his). he  promised to give the key back to his lil girl when he sees her next.

then back to the classroom, the lil girl was looking around the room where all her friends were  opening their presents and looking very happy. cept her. she had nothing to open.  she walked up to santa, sat on his lap and told santa what she wanted for xmas. she said - for xmas i want my dad to come home. 

and thats when her wish began coming true. santa whipped out a heart shaped key ring, and slowly removed his red hat and the fake white beard  to reveal his true identity. she was very surprised and shouted - daddy!! and threw both her arms around his neck. imagine the scene ok. the lil girl was tearing. you could see her tears slowly trickling down the side of her face and dad used his finger to wipe away her tears. oh so very touching. if this doesnt melt your heart, i dont know what will.

this teaches us that material things dont matter to this girl but to see her dad. what does this story tell you? each of us have different ways of thinking. so you sit and think about it. do you realize that everyday we think of  what we want. its all about want want want. but do we ever stop and think about the less needy or those whose parents are away from them especially during the holidays or festive period. do you like being away from your loved ones? or does material possessions the only thing that makes you happy and contented with life?

every year my parents and brother ask me what i want for my birthday and xmas and to list them down. i told them i dont really want anything because i have everything. i told them - why dont instead of buying each other gifts why dont we all go on a family holiday. its the togetherness and the quality time spent with each other that matters to me. we dont have to go far, even just out of town for a couple of days. thats good enough for me. building memories. not getting material things. i mean yes, once upon a time, it was the stuff that mattered but no more. i have mellowed out. haha

all around the world folks are rushing to do their last minute shopping. but do we ever stop and spare a thought or two about those folks who have no where to rush to, living in huts out in the desert, no food, no rain, no clean water to drink, no clothes  etc. as david bowie said on the do they know its christmas live aid video - "...there are more starving folks on our planet than ever before, please give a thought for them this season, do whatever you can however small to help them live".

have a peaceful new year and think about how blessed you are right now and never take it for granted.


ttfn

12.22pm