I remember the excitement of Christmas when I was a
child so vividly. I would wake up before five o'clock in the morning
and ran to wake up my parents. They would reluctantly wake up and go down
stairs to make sure everything was in tip top shape while I sat waiting on the
top of the stairs. As soon as I got the okay, I sprinted downstairs to see what
presents awaited me. I would be expecting many extravagant presents a young
child would love.
Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was and am
to get most of the things that I want for Christmas and throughout my life. I
remember the first time I took a tag from the Giving Tree my freshman year, it
was a tag for a five-year-old girl that was asking for socks for Christmas.
This tore my heart to pieces. I had been so selfish and materialistic when I
was a kid, yet all that this little girl wanted was socks to keep her feet
warm. Since that moment, I had wanted to do more with the Giving Tree.
In my junior year, I jumped on board as a
coordinator and continued as a coordinator this year. Not only have I gotten
exceedingly better at talking on the phone, but also my eyes have opened wide
and have developed an open mind through the work that the Giving Tree does. It
always puts a smile on my face to see so many volunteers from our community
come and help at Santa's Workshop on our Giving Tree Sorting Day. They are part
of a process that make Christmas morning possible for over three hundred
children. I still have trouble wrapping my head around this but it is the
reality of the world we are living in. It is a wake up call when a small
program at a high school in a small town is where families and large
organizations turn to for Christmas presents for kids. I am incredibly grateful
and humbled by my experiences with the NM Giving Tree.
Danielle
No comments:
Post a Comment