12/24/2023
"My friend handed me a very old metal match box car today. Then he said I found this yesterday and it reminded me of a major life lesson. I held it in my hand and looked at it while he talked.
He said, "when I was in elementary school, we did a Secret Santa in my class room at school. All the kids drew a name and then we exchanged presents the last day before Christmas break". He said, "my parents went out and bought me a nice new toy to give to the child I had drawn. My mom wrapped it up and the kid loved the present that received it." He then said, "I went and found my present from a boy in my class that I didnt really know. It looked like it had been wrapped with news paper." He said, "I opened it and it was that little car you are holding in your hand." He said, "... but when he gave it to me it was dirty and looked well played with." He said "I was mad I had given such a nice gift and he had put so little effort into his". I felt cheated.
He said, but later I learned the kid lived in a very runned down shack. His mom was sick and his daddy had left them years before. He said they barely had enough money to have heat and food. He said "when I realized he had given me one of his only few toys, I felt ashamed for the way I treated him when I got the gift". He said I only learned how poor he was after he quit coming to school and it we were told his mom had died and he had been sent to foster care. I never saw him again. He said I kept this little car all these years because I know it was the best present I have ever gotten.
I thought about this story and looked at that little car sitting in my hard and I cried. How many times in my life have I been given something from someone and not appreciated it's TRUE value. This kid had given with his heart when he had so little and it made me realize I need to always remember to never judge anything on the surface and always look deeper.
I just wanted to put this story out there to you all in this season of giving."
