Remember Bigger Family at Christmas
Published in The Daily Courier
December 6, 2012 |
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It's that time again. We think about friends and family, embracing that annual ritual of visiting local businesses in pursuit of the perfect gifts, preparing for Christmas dinner and looking forward to the traditions that have been passed down through the generations.
But this is not the experience for everyone in our communities. Many will struggle to have the basic comforts of a home and adequate food to get through the holidays - and every other day of the year.
Some will be alone, without friends or family, and others will be sick and isolated.The reasons are many - but what is most important is our willingness to act as a community to support and respect those among us who are struggling.
The Christmas season is about family, friends and helping others. Each holiday season, I reflect on how others have helped my family and the impact it has had on my life and my understanding of community.
As a child, the rhythm of everyday life is normal. Mealtime, school hours, homework, bedtime all come and go with predictable routine. This sense of normal ended when, in my teens, I learned a family friend had extended a personal loan to my parents years earlier that saved our family from losing our basic, entry-level home.
This act of kindness allowed my parents to keep our home - but also to build our future from a place of safety and security. Not all families in this situation are so fortunate.
As a society with such abundance and resources, it is unacceptable that some of our neighbours live in fear of eviction because they cannot pay their rent, have shared accommodations with strangers because that is all they can afford, or live on the streets.
I cannot imagine raising my children in this situation. Can you? I have also had the privilege of seeing my parents return this kindness and generosity to others.
My father worked in a treatment centre for alcoholics and drug addicts for more than 25 years. It was our family tradition to visit the residents on Christmas morning and deliver gifts. These were simple gifts - socks, underwear, scarves and T-shirts. They were received with the same excitement and anticipation that I felt when I received my gifts.
I remember giving a gift to a man in his late 20s, and he started to cry. For some, the gift I gave them was the first gift they had ever received.
These are the acts of kindness and generosity that my family shared. It was important to us to touch other people's hearts and to show that we cared because it could save their life.
Last weekend, I attended a benefit concert to support families in need with students attending Hudson Road, Chief Tomat and George Pringle elementary schools in West Kelowna.
Local performing artists volunteered their time and talent at this event, which was organized by Shamma Sabir, one of Canada's finest fiddlers, and John McMahon, principal at George Pringle Elementary.
What a privilege to be in their presence. Their generosity of spirit, matched only by their talent, embodied the meaning of community and modelled how we can realize our shared responsibility to build a better society for all - especially during this festive season.
In a world plagued with famine, disease and war, we can sometimes overlook the challenges in our own communities. There is no shame in poverty, and it is incumbent on all of us to extend respectful, kind and generous gifts to those who need our help.
In the excitement and preparations of the holiday season, let's not forget about our neighbours. We need to help each other.
And that, for me, is The Bottom Line.
But this is not the experience for everyone in our communities. Many will struggle to have the basic comforts of a home and adequate food to get through the holidays - and every other day of the year.
Some will be alone, without friends or family, and others will be sick and isolated.The reasons are many - but what is most important is our willingness to act as a community to support and respect those among us who are struggling.
The Christmas season is about family, friends and helping others. Each holiday season, I reflect on how others have helped my family and the impact it has had on my life and my understanding of community.
As a child, the rhythm of everyday life is normal. Mealtime, school hours, homework, bedtime all come and go with predictable routine. This sense of normal ended when, in my teens, I learned a family friend had extended a personal loan to my parents years earlier that saved our family from losing our basic, entry-level home.
This act of kindness allowed my parents to keep our home - but also to build our future from a place of safety and security. Not all families in this situation are so fortunate.
As a society with such abundance and resources, it is unacceptable that some of our neighbours live in fear of eviction because they cannot pay their rent, have shared accommodations with strangers because that is all they can afford, or live on the streets.
I cannot imagine raising my children in this situation. Can you? I have also had the privilege of seeing my parents return this kindness and generosity to others.
My father worked in a treatment centre for alcoholics and drug addicts for more than 25 years. It was our family tradition to visit the residents on Christmas morning and deliver gifts. These were simple gifts - socks, underwear, scarves and T-shirts. They were received with the same excitement and anticipation that I felt when I received my gifts.
I remember giving a gift to a man in his late 20s, and he started to cry. For some, the gift I gave them was the first gift they had ever received.
These are the acts of kindness and generosity that my family shared. It was important to us to touch other people's hearts and to show that we cared because it could save their life.
Last weekend, I attended a benefit concert to support families in need with students attending Hudson Road, Chief Tomat and George Pringle elementary schools in West Kelowna.
Local performing artists volunteered their time and talent at this event, which was organized by Shamma Sabir, one of Canada's finest fiddlers, and John McMahon, principal at George Pringle Elementary.
What a privilege to be in their presence. Their generosity of spirit, matched only by their talent, embodied the meaning of community and modelled how we can realize our shared responsibility to build a better society for all - especially during this festive season.
In a world plagued with famine, disease and war, we can sometimes overlook the challenges in our own communities. There is no shame in poverty, and it is incumbent on all of us to extend respectful, kind and generous gifts to those who need our help.
In the excitement and preparations of the holiday season, let's not forget about our neighbours. We need to help each other.
And that, for me, is The Bottom Line.