It isn't about the money we spend, but the time we invest in others

 I wrote this entry in December and it was posted on my Facebook, but I thought I would share it here too. It has a good message behind it and can apply anytime of the year, not just at Christmas.

So today I was at the salvation army when a call came in from a social worker. She said she had a patient that wasn't likely to make it to Christmas but his daughter really wanted her dad to have one last Christmas tree.  I told her that there was not thing that we could do, but it bothered me, so I decided I would buy him a small tree, lights and ornaments. It cost me $2.50.  I worked a full day at the salvation army and I still had to go to the store, I was tired and wanted to go home. Yet, still I felt like needed to drop the tree off tonight.  So I took it in and asked the front desk if the social worker was still available. They said no, but I could put it downstairs in front of their office door. So while I was waiting for the elevator there was a woman standing there, she was obviously distressed. After standing there for a few minutes, I asked that same stupid question everyone asks "Are you ok?"  She then poured out that her grandfather passed away on Friday, which caused her dad to have some kind of attack. He was sent to the hospital and she flew up to be with him. She assumed that he would be fine in a few days and they would spend Christmas together. Apparently shortly before I got there they told her they didn't think he would make it another week.  I assumed that this was the woman the social worker meant but I asked to be sure. I asked if she had asked for a Christmas tree? With tears in her eyes she said "yeah but they said they couldn't help me" Well me, standing there with a garbage bag, told her that I have a Christmas tree for her. She dropped her things, started sobbing and hugged me and thanked me over and over on how much this meant to her. To be able to celebrate one last Christmas with her father. She asked me to come meet her dad, which I did, she said what she really needed was someone to just care. She didn't have anyone.  She hugged me one last time and said God Bless you. As I walked down the hospital stairs it put so much into prospective for me. I say I am thankful for what I have, while wanting more.  Today, I made a dying man's last holiday with his child possible by spending $2.50 and an hour of my time. It was the best time and money ever spent. I found that John had passed away 3 hours after I brought the Christmas tree. A friend who happened to be at the hospital told me she saw his daughter after he had passed. She was sitting in the waiting room and heard her say, "at least we got one last Christmas tree together" It isn't about the money we spend but the time we invest in others. Happy Holidays