Understanding...

Continuing on with our twelve days of "gifts" that we all can give to each other - gifts that won't cost us a thing...

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...UNDERSTANDING.

I have two Christmas mornings from my childhood that really stand out in my mind…
The first one – I was about seven or eight years old, and I could not wait for Santa to come. I had never asked for a doll… NEVER! I wasn’t one of “those” little girls – I was a “die hard” tomboy! But that year I asked Santa for a very special baby. You see, this doll that I had asked for wasn’t just any doll. This was THUMBELINA. She could roll over!

Anyway, about 4:00am on Christmas morning, my sister and I climbed out of our bunk beds, and tip-toed into the family room. The moment my eyes fell on her, I cried. The lights from the tree sparkled and danced on her beautiful blond hair. Her little lips were painted the prettiest shade of pink I had ever seen. I was afraid to touch her. After a moment of letting it soak in that she was really there and she was mine… I pushed the tiny button on her back and she slowly rolled over. I melted! I don’t remember anything else I got for Christmas that year!

The second Christmas morning that really has stayed with me after all these years – The year after Thumbelina… I asked my parents for a dinosaur that roared when you pushed a button on his back, and his arm would shoot off when you pulled a lever on his side. I was ecstatic when I saw him sitting under the tree! My cousin and I spent Christmas day shooting his arm at Thumbelina… lol.

The point I’m trying to make is this – I wasn’t a typical “sugar and spice and everything nice” little girl. However, my mom listened to my wants on my birthday and Christmas, etc. I wasn’t forced to be put in a box that I didn’t feel I fit in. I was given UNDERSTANDING.

As a result, when my son was four years old and wanted a “My Buddy” for Christmas, he got one. Some people discouraged me from getting it for him saying, “Little boys don’t need dolls.” But, I knew my son needed understanding, just like I had years before.

When we give gifts for Christmas, we aren’t really giving Thumbelina dolls or My Buddy dolls; we’re really giving love and understanding to the people that are most important in our lives. That's the best gift to give.