One Regret I Will NOT Have When I Die……
He shared that he had been homeless last year when I was paying for some items for the Xmas Fairy Homeless Project today and explained why I had so many of the same items. We talked as he rang up the redundancy of products.
He said, “God bless you” as he finished my pile of goods and bagged them. I looked into his eyes when he blessed me. He continued, “Someone was kind to me when I was homeless like what you are doing for others. It gave me hope. It took a lot of applying for jobs before I landed this one. It is hard for people to understand the homeless reality and the difficulties in trying to change it. When people are kind like you are you never know where that will lead for someone like me.”
I was a bit tired doing the shopping today but my heart perked up so much from the exchange with this once homeless young man that I didn’t care about my tiredness. I just felt grateful….and glad.
Xmas Fairy Project Update: Still compiling items, 40 each of everything (whew!) to begin putting things in bags on Tuesday and deliver this Thursday night to the temporary homeless shelter in Ashland. Upon hearing I didn’t have money for toothpaste yet but had purchased 40 toothbrushes, a friend donated for the toothpaste…YAY!!!! Ya can’t have one without the other! I am still trying to find an eating establishment to donate 40 certificates for a hot meal over the holidays. I have calls in for 40 shampoos to two hotels. Neither of these are getting back to me after a pile of calls and emails. I do not have enough donations to purchase those…shampoo or meals. And I would love to add more Emergen-C packets and food items but am doing pretty well to have at least some purchased. That’s it for now. Xmas Fairy is not bored! Xmas Fairy has a lot of work to do putting bulk items into little baggies then sorting items into 2 larger bags to staple together for each of the 40 recipients. Two elves are coming to help me, THANK GOODNESS!
Sweet dreams to all. Be grateful to not be homeless. This fairy is not taking anything for granted. AND this fairy is thrilled to know that when she dies she will NOT have the regret that she should have helped others more. Scratch that one off the list! Makes for pretty awesome aging to say the least! Caring enlivens! #earthisheaven@67
As published at Ashland Daily Tidings
