Christmas Kindness
Jawn McKinley
Most families have their favorite myths and stories that are told again and again during the holidays; these create the fabric of what the season means in a very special way. As an only child, whose Dad was away most of the time, my family was my Mom and me. And the stories I loved to hear over and over starred my Mom in one and me in the other. Both of them were lifted right from our SedonaKind playbook, just many decades before we began.
The first one took place in the 40’s when my Mom was living in New York. She was a dancer and was about to marry my Dad before he went off to war. But she was spending Xmas in the city. She didn’t have much money and used to get a lot of her meals at the Automat… anyone old enough to remember these places? All the food was behind little glass windows, you picked what you wanted and then paid the harried and overworked lady behind the cash register. Well, this day it was snowy and slushy in New York and the Automat was packed with grumpy customers, all late for something. My Mom said the lady taking the money was so kind and sweet to all the grouchy customers that after her meal she went across the street to Macy’s. She bought a small bottle of inexpensive eau de cologne and had it gift wrapped. She shloshed back across the street and handed the gift to the woman. Mom said she would always remember the look on the woman’s face and the tears in her eyes…. just like when we give our kindness charms or Boxes of Love to someone. It was a small, unexpected act of kindness that I grew up hearing about and that I will always remember.
Fast forward to when I was 5 and my Mom took me in to the city to see Santa Claus at- you guessed it- Macy’s. He was indeed a jolly old elf, and after my turn on his lap, I turned to my Mom and asked “ Who gives Santa presents”? Stymied, my Mom hesitated, and then I asked if I could get Santa a present. Thinking (what a good Mom I am, teaching my child to be kind) she said “ What a wonderful idea, honey. You can pick out whatever you want.” That was her mistake! Holding my hand, I led her to all the floors in Macy’s, looking at stoves, refrigerators, sofas, mink coats, diamonds, you name it. All the while my Mom was thinking how to tell her beloved, generous child to be kind but not that kind!!!! Finally we ended up in the toy department and I found what I thought was the perfect gift- a record. Whew. Back we went to see Santa and to present my gift. He was so moved and my Mom was so relieved! And I got to experience for the first time the joy of doing an unexpected act of kindness.
So here I am today, loving my involvement with SedonaKind, and knowing now it was just where I was supposed to end up. Acts of kindness that bring a touch of magic and a Holiday Season all year long are what we do. I’m so blessed to be a part of this organization.
The first one took place in the 40’s when my Mom was living in New York. She was a dancer and was about to marry my Dad before he went off to war. But she was spending Xmas in the city. She didn’t have much money and used to get a lot of her meals at the Automat… anyone old enough to remember these places? All the food was behind little glass windows, you picked what you wanted and then paid the harried and overworked lady behind the cash register. Well, this day it was snowy and slushy in New York and the Automat was packed with grumpy customers, all late for something. My Mom said the lady taking the money was so kind and sweet to all the grouchy customers that after her meal she went across the street to Macy’s. She bought a small bottle of inexpensive eau de cologne and had it gift wrapped. She shloshed back across the street and handed the gift to the woman. Mom said she would always remember the look on the woman’s face and the tears in her eyes…. just like when we give our kindness charms or Boxes of Love to someone. It was a small, unexpected act of kindness that I grew up hearing about and that I will always remember.
Fast forward to when I was 5 and my Mom took me in to the city to see Santa Claus at- you guessed it- Macy’s. He was indeed a jolly old elf, and after my turn on his lap, I turned to my Mom and asked “ Who gives Santa presents”? Stymied, my Mom hesitated, and then I asked if I could get Santa a present. Thinking (what a good Mom I am, teaching my child to be kind) she said “ What a wonderful idea, honey. You can pick out whatever you want.” That was her mistake! Holding my hand, I led her to all the floors in Macy’s, looking at stoves, refrigerators, sofas, mink coats, diamonds, you name it. All the while my Mom was thinking how to tell her beloved, generous child to be kind but not that kind!!!! Finally we ended up in the toy department and I found what I thought was the perfect gift- a record. Whew. Back we went to see Santa and to present my gift. He was so moved and my Mom was so relieved! And I got to experience for the first time the joy of doing an unexpected act of kindness.
So here I am today, loving my involvement with SedonaKind, and knowing now it was just where I was supposed to end up. Acts of kindness that bring a touch of magic and a Holiday Season all year long are what we do. I’m so blessed to be a part of this organization.