12/07/2023
That time of the year folks! It’s a little late because my hearts been heavy and my body’s healing but I have to remind myself of my many blessing also. So to all, Merry CHRISTMAS!!!
🎁🎄The Christmas Boots🎄🎁
As I sit here this morning, drinking my coffee, admiring my beautifully decorated home with all its twinkling lights, warmth and wonderful smells of the holidays, snuggling under my blanket, I reflect back on a story that I have shared many times throughout the years and would love to share with each of you today. The story of humanity, giving and humility. Many years ago I was a very active Jaycee in my hometown of Oak Grove, La. and every year we had a Toys For Tots drive that I had cleverly managed to get out of it in the past but this particular year, I was President and had no excuse so I decided to just bite the bullet and do it, much to my displeasure. My attitude was not a good one either, maybe one of arrogance, ambition or just not wanting to spend my time, cleaning and dealing with a bunch of old and dirty toys that I would often throw away in my own home. I didn't want to have to wash them, fix them or wrap them on my free time, after all, it was the holidays....There was so much more I wanted to do such as parties, gatherings with friends and family, shopping and cooking. Anything but dealing with headless dolls and legless toy soldiers. If you haven't gotten the picture by now, I wasn't happy about it at all. I asked if we were just the dumping grounds for people cleaning out their crap? Nothing about this was I finding fun nor enjoyable. I was a prisoner to others unwanted JUNK! Then it happened, my final straw, a pair of ugly, scuffed up, beaten down, tattered and worn old red pair of kids boots....I held them up and declared them a joke as I proclaimed how ridiculous it was to spend my good time trying to salvage them as my sarcasm filled the air. Yes, at this point, my bad attitude has grown increasingly short fussed and I wanted this over with but instead, I arrogantly grabbed those red boots, washed them down and gave them a futile coat or two of wax, throwing them on down the line to be wrapped. Don't get me wrong, there was a part of this whole experience I did enjoy. Being given money to go purchase all the new toys for the kids. After all, spending others money is always fun. Although short lived because it was back to the building to add these to the disarray of used toys for wrapping. I watched for two days as parents, grandparents and children came and went, claiming their packages. Many I knew, many were appreciative, yet some felt they should have only gotten new toys. I left that evening for a party, feeling empty from it all. Lots of old, used toys, parents bad attitudes. Those were the things that stuck with me, not the giving of toys for a child that might have nothing or the happy, appreciative parents, oh nooooo, just the negative. Had the good outweighed the bad? I felt not that night. It just gave ME no fulfillment or joy in my heart for the season or the cause. All I could think was, it's over and never again would I have to work it. I was just thankful that my beautiful home was full of new toys under the tree, good food, cheer and preparing for a perfect Christmas. About a week after the holidays, a little boy and his mother entered my salon, he ran up to me all starry eyed and smiles as I asked him, how was his Christmas and was Santa good to him. All of a sudden, he became all giddy and excited as he told me how he was a "real cowboy" eagerly he pulled his jeans up and threw out his foot to display his Christmas gift because in his words, "BEST GIFT EVER!" I laughed and looked down at his proud display and there they were, as if reclaiming their victory....those worn, scuffed, beaten down, tattered old pair of kids red boots..The very ones that I had so arrogantly tossed aside. As I kneeled down as if to admire and brag to this sweet child, his Mama whispered, "Toys For Tots, but girl, he thinks they are the best things he ever got, won't take the dang things off, he just loves them". He stood there, before me and smiling ear to ear, lighting up my whole shop with his vivacious smile and excitement as he explains how great they were and how he was a real cowboy for sure now. I just kneeled there, touching the toes of his red boots, unable to move for fear of the tears forming in my eyes would be visible to everybody in the room if I spoke or even moved. I prayed for strength and forgiveness at the feet of this child who has so humbled me. At that moment in my life, I realized that I had allowed all my monetary things in life to blind me to the true beauty of a pair of old, tattered, scuffed up pair of red boots. At that moment, I saw those boots as through the eyes of the child who stood before me, proudly displaying them, beautiful, red as a Texas sunset, well made with many adventures still in them and broken in just right for a real cowboy to wear. After that day, I realized it wasn't about ME and my wants so I became an avid campaigner for Toys For Tots and chairperson over it for my remaining years in my hometown. Did many radio, tv and newspaper interviews and I always shared this story with the most positive feedback of any of my many projects I worked on. This project became my most fulfilling one to date. I loved gathering those old toys, cleaning, repairing and handing out, always searching for my next pair of old, scuffed up, ruined down pair of kids red boots with a story of adventure to tell. It made me a better person because I understood it's about the giving, not about the most expensive or the quantity. Christmas is something you find in your heart. The miracle of Christ and I do believe Christ was there that day in my salon when that child walked in proudly displaying his red boots. To me, it's partly about that little pair of red boots that brought me many smiles, tears and knowledge, because through them, I found myself and a meaning to all the madness those days. So to each of you, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and please remember. There are so many less fortunate than us, that old tattered toy might be a piece of junk to you but to a child, hungry, without, poverty stricken, it is the most precious and beautiful toy ever. The gift of given. God bless all, Gaye Auger-Laing
