Holiday Cheer

‘Twas right before the holidays and my spirts needed lifting,

not from the abundance of trinkets we’d soon be gifting.

But I saw something today that made my heart sing.

At first, I thought, “It’s not a big thing.”

I saw an old man standing alone in the cold.

His past and current circumstances were untold.

He looked so sad, tired, and very alone.

I avoided eye contact and looked at my phone.

Should I offer him food, a kind word, or some cash?

Then I remembered, my lunch had used up my stash.

Along came a small group of kids laughing and happy.

One of them singing a song, off-key and sappy.

The kids slowed when they came near the man,

whose clothes I then noticed were dirty and torn.

Would the kids ignore him or worse, express scorn?

However, a boy from the group talked to the cold, gray man

who suddenly became visible as he held out his hand.

The man wasn’t begging or asking for spare change.

It was hard to hear the conversation, so I moved into range.

You see, the boy from the group also extended his hand

and for the first time, I saw the eyes of that man.

Those eyes didn’t reflect shame or seemed to look for pity.

Instead, the kids laughed as he said something witty.

A few minutes passed and the exchange neared its close.

The chilly air whirled and the man blew his nose.

A cup of coffee appeared, some food and some cold weather gear.

I inched just a smidge closer so I could hear.

“Thank you,” the man said. He sounded so humble.

“Why didn’t I do that?” I heard myself mumble.

As the kids went one way, the man went another,

I was reminded how important it is to care for each other.

This world can be cold and ugly at times and it’s easy to miss that goodness and love still exists.

So yes, be kind, show love, and spread good cheer, not just right now but all through the year.

Peace, Blessings, and Happy Holidays!