It’s that
time of the year again, when I head over to the home of the Old Man on the Porch
for a Christmas Story.
“Hey, Old
Man, I sure would like to hear one of your famous Christmas Stories.”
“I reckon
I could tell you one, ‘cause I be knowing you won’t leave until I do,” he
stated with a slight smile.
The Old
Man took a deep breath, exhaled, and then commenced, . . .
Many
years ago, there was this young boy, who went to the grocery store every day
after school, rain, or shine. He would stand by the door and ask folks for the
pennies in their pockets or coin purses.
Some
folks obliged, others did not. On a good day he would collect between five and
ten pennies. Occasionally, a person would ask him what he wanted to buy with
the pennies. The boy always answered, “I want to buy my sister a present for
Christmas.”
Most
folks thought he was lying to con them into giving him more money, but a few
would give him an extra nickel or dime.
Now, I
know you’re wondering why the boy was so committed to the task of buying his
sister a Christmas present. Well, truth be told, the boy, along with his mother
and father live in an old two room house on the edge of town. His father worked
in the coal mines and barely made enough money to feed the family. The boy’s
sister, Mary, was diagnosed with incurable cancer and was in the hospital-and there
was a strong chance she would not live to see another Christmas.
 |
| The Love Bear |
When Mary
and her brother used to walk to and from school each day, they always walk by
the drug store, because in the display window, there was a large, stuffed pink
bear. Mary loved seeing the bear and every day, her brother told Mary that he
would buy it for her someday. Mary knew he couldn’t, but she liked imaging that
he could.
Summer
came and gone and Christmas was fast approaching. The boy, as he had done every
day after asking for pennies at the grocery store, went by the drug store
window to make sure the bear was still there, before visiting his sister.
He always
told Mary he saw the bear, knowing it would make her smile.
On the
day before Christmas Eve, the boy counted all the money he had collected and
when he was done, he smiled – finally, he had enough to buy the bear! He
hurried to the store and bought the bear.
Christmas
morning, the boy, anxious to give the bear to his sister, woke up early and rushed
to the hospital. When he arrived, he was surprised to see his father and mother
were already there. His mother was crying and his father was talking to a priest.
Mary, . . .
Now, I know
what you’re thinking; you’re thinking Mary died. Quite the contrary. She was
alive and sitting up in the bed, with a big smile on her face. The reason why
she was smiling was because the doctor had just told her the cancer in her body
was completely gone, and she was looking at her brother, Thomas, who was
holding the Large Pink Bear.
I reckon some
folks will tell you Mary’s amazing recovery was a Miracle, but I prefer to
believe it was a brother’s love for his sister that cured her.
“Isn’t
your name, Thomas?” I asked the Old Man.
“It is,”
he replied with a smile.
Merry Christmas!
Love is the best present you can give.
j/k
