This is a call a young lad made to a Christian radio station in Texas. My aplogies if you have seen it. But it’s very moving.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCdZwitrNoY[/youtube]

Want a little more perspective?

We had a listener e-mail us about their youngest child…

“I went to my youngest’s classroom today for their “holiday” party. A little girl named Brittany from our neighborhood - a little ragamuffin type, their family is broke and it shows, there’s some MAJOR issues there, her older sister has a mouth that would make a drunken sailor blush and has told me where to go and what to stick in and where when I get there and she’s 7. yowza. Anyway, Brittany is in Emilie’s class. I saw her today. Her smile can light up the room. Even though I know she suffers by having to follow her only sibling around the neighborhood and encurring the wrath of the kids that make fun of her or yell at her and her sister or whatever. I see her today, smiling, with a patch over her eye. Not a dark one. A clear bandage type one. Not knowing what happened, I simply went straightforward (after she ran up to me to give me a hug - this poor child sees comfort within myself and Holly whenever they drive around the neighborhood, she always stops…) and said “What happened to your eye, sweetie?” “It got sick, and I had surgery. They’re looking for one to match my other one.” WHAT? How does this happen? WHY does this happen? She’s able to smile through it. And, from the teacher I hear that it was CANCER. They found it - and they’re not out of the woods yet. UGH. It’s VERY possible that she’ll ultimately lose the other one. I wanted to hug her and not let go. I wanted to try to figure out how to explain to her that no matter how difficult life is, to be sure to check out the colors in things, the sunsets, the way the christmas lights reflect around the neighborhood and light up the sky. I wanted to let her know that life is going to be “okay”. That she won’t be picked on (any more than normal…kids are awful creatures sometimes…). That it’ll all work out. Of course, all I could do was hug her and tell her Merry Christmas, between teary eyes. After reading “The Polar Express” to her and the rest of the class, I found out from the teacher (who is a wonderful woman - and actually had my wife in her very first class…) that another of their classmates’ mother died. Suicide. Last week. Guess who found her and tried to get her to wake up?”

Yeah. It’s the most wonderful time of the year and stuff. But, man, be extra nice to folks, pick up a tab for a stranger, give to the Salvation Army kettles, whatever… but try to keep this giving spirit with you ALL YEAR, not just at Christmas. And certainly, give your spouse, loved one, life partner, rock, whatever… an extra hug tonight.

It may have been a rough year for you, but seeing what these two wonderful children are going through, I realize that my life is peaches and cream in comparison.

Justin Kaiser
Creative Identity Group