With the holidays over, we can now concentrate on football.
The college football playoffs are down to four teams — Miami versus Ole Miss (Jan. 8) in the Fiesta Bowl and Indiana versus Oregon (Jan. 9) in the Peach Bowl. The winners will meet for the National Championship on July 19 in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
And, of course, the NFL playoffs will get underway on Jan. 10, with Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
OK, enough about that. I’m not ready to stop writing about the need for those who can help to do just that — help those in need, help your community, do what you can — as my dear friend George Toma would say, “and then some.”
I’m kind of stuck on one thing — why are some people so against helping people in need? Why do they oppose giving a hand up to people who need some help? Why don’t these people who can help choose not to?
If you haven’t noticed, the demand for help continues to increase. More and more people find themselves in situations that they never thought they would be in. Yes, some are to blame for their situations, but no matter the reason, the need is there. They are human beings and so are we.
The old saying talks about how “they” would feel if it were “them” that needed help. Would they not hope that there would be a caring community available for them?
The holidays are filled with joy in many homes and families, but there are many others where joy never walks through their door. This got me thinking, which can be dangerous sometimes. But when I do, I turn to my own special brand of poetry.
And it just so happens that I wrote one about this topic. I dedicate it to those who enjoyed their holidays, got a lot of presents, and put on a few pounds.
Here it is:
It’s called “Wouldn’t You Wanna?”
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Hug your mom and dad?
Wouldn’t you wanna
Return to those days
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Find a home for all
Those cats and dogs
And for the homeless we see?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Have that special person
In your life
To be there — just be there?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Remove all superficiality
Self-servingness and greed
And live in a peaceful world?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Be all you can be
And be happy being it
Just like everybody else?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
See presents under
Everybody’s tree
And smiles on all those faces?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Live in a small town
Know your neighbors
And feel safe all the time?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Live in a perfect world
Where imperfect people
Still genuinely care?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
To not have to want
To have peace of mind
With love all around?
•
Wouldn’t you wanna
Feel good about yourself
By helping others
To experience Peace on Earth
And goodwill to all.
•
I lived in those glorious days of new bicycles, baseball gloves, games, toys and, yes, even some new clothes. Each Christmas present was wonderfully wrapped, but I disregarded the effort that went into the presentation of those gifts as I feverishly tore into them to see what was inside.
Whatever was inside, it was mine — all mine. Oh, thank you, Santa. I knew I was a good boy.
I have also seen some situations that have left an indelible mark on my heart. I remember going to a home in Hanover Township one year around Christmas time for Make-A-Wish. It was a single mom with a couple of kids — good kids, nice kids.
We were there to interview the mom about her son, who was a Make-A-Wish kid, which means, in addition to everything else, this little boy was facing a life-threatening illness.
While my co-Wish volunteer talked to the mom, it was my job to talk to the child. The protocol was to take the child away from his parent(s) to ask the child what his/her wish was — what he or she really wanted.
This kid, who was about 5 years old, looked at me and, without hesitation, told me he wanted his mom and his sister to have a Merry Christmas.
When I recovered from hearing that and the realization of what was going on, evidenced by the fact that there was no Christmas tree in the house, I asked the boy what he meant.
He told me he wanted Santa Claus to bring them a Christmas tree and lots of presents. Note that the little boy never asked for anything for himself, other than wishing for a Merry Christmas for his mom and sister.
I’ll never forget that kid.
The family did, as the little boy requested, have a very Merry Christmas.
That little boy — at 5 years old — knew what it was to be kind to others and to make them happy. He knew he had the opportunity to make his mom and sister have a Merry Christmas.
That little boy felt good by helping others.
He is the example we all should emulate.