There is one small difference

There is less than 6 weeks until Christmas. People have already begun their shopping in the malls and yesterday, I already saw Santa Clause taking pictures with waiting children. This is the time of year where you try to prepare for the joy and cheer of Christmas day. Buying gifts for people that you love. We search and hunt for the perfect gift, in every store. Christmas music is heard over the intercom and decorations surround the malls. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it changes people’s mood, and it brings a smile to almost everyone.

The days before the holidays just fly by. Every day we are on a special mission to find what we are looking for. We know exactly what to buy, when we see it. We have parent gifts, teacher gifts, friend gifts, Santa gifts, stocking stuffers; we have to cover it all. If you are anything like me, than you will probably wait for the last minute to finish your list. Budgets go out the window, and money just seems to decrease in our accounts, by the second. These are the holidays, oh joy, oh bliss.

Every year, I like to choose 1 charity that I like to donate too. One year I purchased groceries, toys and clothes for a single mother and her 9 year old son that suffers from epilepsy. I was told that when she saw all the things I bought for her, she was beside herself. She was a new immigrant to the country and she was not used to this kind of human spirit. I can tell you that it made me feel better knowing I brought a smile to her face; way more than it made her feel receiving it. As the old saying goes, “It is better to give than to receive.”

This time of year, there are many charities you can donate to. There are hospitals, food banks, The Salvation Army, homes for battered women; I can go on and on. I know many people that feel the same way I do. I know many people that love to give to others. I know many people that try not to forget the less fortunate people in our communities.
Sometimes we need to look at the lives of other people to realize all the wonderful things we have. My kids are asking Santa for things that are feasible for me to get. We are very fortunate to be able to fill their desires. It breaks my heart to know that there are some children that don’t get even get 1 thing on their wish list. How does a parent explain to their child that Santa could not get them the gift they asked for? I don’t know, and I don’t ever want to know.

I am grateful for my life. I am grateful for all the things I have. I am grateful that I have the luxury to shop for gifts for my family members, for my children and for others. I am grateful that I can feel the real spirit of Christmas. I wish I can help everyone who needs it, but we all know that is not possible. If we all do our own part (which I know we do), then we can add more jingles in the lives of the less fortunate. Please join me in the spirit of humanity; please continue to help those who need it most.

Christmas 2009 will soon come and go faster than we can imagine. The gifts will all be unwrapped, the food will be eaten, and the peels from the clementines and chestnuts will be in the garbage. We will then prepare for our New Year’s festivities. Let’s try to remember the people that will not experience what we get to experience year after year. Just like us, they want to have a tree with lights, they want to have a 10 pound turkey on the table, and they want to unwrap the new Hannah Montana Barbie doll. They are just like us; the only small difference is....they just can’t.
That’s my peace today!

Stracatella Soup
1 whole chicken leg (back attached)
salt to taste
1 egg
1 package of pastina
parsley for garnish

Wash and boil chicken until cooked, about 1 hour. Add salt to boiling water. Remove chicken and use for something else or discard. In a separate pot, cook pastina as directed. Bring broth to a medium boil, add pastina. Whisk egg in a bowl and add to boiling broth. Use parsley to garnish in individual bowl.

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