Dick Summer Connection

We’re swapping Christmas stories, and it’s your turn. To find out what this is about, go to today’s podcast. This story is from Proud Podcast Person Sheri Shanks. She’s confirming the “Pick A Person” idea in the podcast.

You asked for Christmas stories, but what I have to tell you is actually a No Christmas Story. In December of 1999 my two children moved with their father and their step-mother about 20 days before Christmas to Ramstein Germany. Their step-mother was in the Air Force and that is where she was going to be stationed for at least 4 years. I would get to see my children, once a year, for about 3 months in the summer. So we had Christmas early.. the apartment was decorated inside and out with the help of my finance…. and I knew that Christmas day was going to be rough, I would get thru it. We said good-bye to the kids around the 5th of December, and 4 days later, my finance left me…. no note… no phone call… nothing… just the key to the apartment in the mailbox and all of his stuff gone. I was devastated. There are no words to describe the totally emptiness ….. my children were gone, my mother had passed away in 98, all my family were more than 300 miles away and I had no way to get there. I woke up Christmas morning to an empty house, and an empty tree. The child in me felt like I had been the worst child ever, because Santa didn’t come.

This year is going to be better. I live with my daughter, there are 3 children… we will be going to my son-in-law’s parents house with a big family celebration… and I will be right in the middle of it all. I didn’t tell you all this to make you feel sorry… what I really would like you to do is tell you listeners and readers that if they know someone who will be alone at Christmas, and even if they have invited them to come share it with them… most (including me) won’t go because Christmas is family, and you aren’t family. But the next best thing you can do is go over to that person’s home… don’t call in advance… show up with a plate from your Christmas dinner, or a plate of cookies, just something to eat.. and a small gift… believe me when you wake up Christmas morning and have nothing to unwrap and alone…. having someone show up at your door… does so much for you. The gift need not be much, a holiday candle, or any kind of candle, a small gift certificate to that place…. heck even a small fake decorated Christmas tree……. that person’s whole day would be so much better… you don’t need to stay long… it’s better if you don’t because they aren’t gonna want you to see them cry. Be Santa… leave the gift at the door.. knock and run.. sign the card… from Santa….. I know a lot of people do things for the homeless at this time of the year, but there is another group that gets totally forgotten… and it’s those that have no one…. I’ve been there more times than I ever want to.. and I will never let anyone I know NOT have something to open on Christmas Morning… we are all still kids at Christmas… we still believe deep in our hearts that Santa is real…. and when he skips our house…. it really hurts…..

Now go watch a comedy in your big papa chair……. and I’m going to listen to Quiet Hands as I fall asleep……. you put me to sleep every night… and I mean that as a compliment……..

lazy-xmas-decor

 

One Response to “Dick Summer Connection”

  1. Sheri says:

    The only thing that has changed is now there are 4 kids and Santa is coming this year as usual!!! These past non-Christmas memories still live deep in my heart and I try very hard to make sure everyone I know has something for Christmas….. I’m still a kid at heart and I know Christmas will have something for me this year