The reason for the Season...the REAL reason...

When I lived in Iowa City there was this mall, it was a small, older mall that wasn't very busy. I liked to shop there because of that. There was a McDonald's right outside of the mall lot, and there was a homeless guy who would stand by the exit from the drive-thru with a sign. He was asking for money. One time I was Christmas shopping at the mall and after I went to McDonald's to get some food. I ordered my food, and as I drove around, I opened my window and gave it to the man with the sign. He was happy beyond words. He thanked me, God Blessed me, and I drove on my way. All this time I thought he was a guy looking for a handout, and it turned out he was a man asking for help. I felt bad...ashamed...I was wrong.

Today I was car shopping with my wife. One of the things we don't do together is share meals...sure we eat together,from our separate bags, in front of our own computers, in different rooms. So to be a better me, I thought we should spend time together eating and talking, so we decided on a late lunch. There was one other person in the diner other than us, and she was soon joined by a friend. It was pretty clear they were not as well off as we(sorry, but I try NOT to judge). He was old scruffy gentleman, with long hair and a weathered face. He wore his glasses at the end of his nose. She was a simple woman. When she spoke it sounded like she may be crying. We actually wondered if she was indeed crying. Our waitress was terse, but not unkind. The service was good. The food was okay, but we were there to sit and talk more than we were there for the food. Our waitress stopped a few times to see if we were okay, if we needed anything, but other than that, she stayed away.

The couple at the other table had finished and the woman got up to pay her bill. As she walked by I looked at her face to see if she had indeed been crying. I looked at her, and it did not look like she had, so I smiled, and she smiled back. A few minutes later the waitress came to our table and grabbed our check. We laughed because we thought we gave us the wrong one, but she told us the lady at the counter wanted to pay our bill. I was surprised....shocked. She asked if we knew her and we did not, we still do not. As she walked by we thanked her, she said "You're welcomed...it's Christmas and all." She sat down and joined her friend, we got up to leave, wished them both a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and she thanked us...THANKED US... As we left the staff was talking about it, we wished them well and left...still in awe.

People talk about how things are wrong with the Holiday, with the season...but it isn't the holiday, it is the people, it is us. The hustle and bustle and fighting over the tickle me Elmo is not a problem with the time of year, it is a problem with the people during this time of year. I always ask friends if they got everything they wanted for Christmas, then I ask if they got everything they NEED. This year I got some of the best gifts I could ever want. My best friend moved back home, I saw a friend, and her family, who I have not seen in over 10 years, and an anonymous woman, friend, bought me and my wife lunch. It was the best meal I've had in a long time...Merry Christmas indeed.