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My heart was in my throat. As mom and I entered the
store, I had only one thought in my mind; I hope my pretty
pink bike is still there. It would be my first bike ever.
But since it was about a week before Christmas and the
stores were in total chaos, Mom gently reminded me that it
was possible that the bike I wanted would be sold out.
I could feel the excitement in my stomach and my hands
were jittery. I was so anxious to get it. I crossed my
fingers as we came around the corner to the bike section.
My stomach did somersaults when I finally spotted it near
the end of a long row. There it was, my big, shiny pink
bike! I thought it was too clean and pretty to touch so I
stuck my hands in my pockets to keep from smudging it.
The week went by really slowly. The only thing
besides school letting out that we were looking forward to
was a charity drive that our school was doing for a
homeless children's shelter. We had made little toys for
the kids that were living there. I was surprised to see
how many were on the list Ä so many that wouldn't have a
real home where they could spend Christmas.
Still, I didn't think as much about helping them as I
was thinking about my bike. I couldn't wait for winter
break to get over so that I could ride my bike to school
for everyone to see. I would be the cool kid for once.
While we waited in the classroom for the bus to come
and take us to the children's shelter to deliver our
presents, I sat at my desk writing my mom a thank you
letter. I explained how I had never wanted anything as
badly as I did that bike. Just as I finished, the bus
driver came into our room to let us start getting on the
bus. I ended up sitting next to a guy who was getting a
skateboard for Christmas. We talked about how excited we
were about our big gifts.
We chatted all the way there and were still talking as
we came though the shelter doors. Suddenly, my mouth
dropped and I stopped in mid-sentence. I was in shock
seeing kids wearing torn-up and worn-down ragged clothes.
I felt sad as I looked around the place.
Our teacher encouraged us to find a kid that was
staying in the shelter and visit with them. I noticed a
little girl sitting in a corner by herself. When I walked
up, it seemed like she didn't want to say "hi" or anything,
but I felt like I should say something to her.
So I started out by asking her if she was excited
about Christmas coming. I told her about how I was getting
a bike. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and a huge smile came
across her face. She told me that she would be the
happiest kid in the world if she could ever get one.
Then she explained to me what her life had been like.
To say the least, she didn't have a normal childhood. She
had never known what it was like to live in a real home of
her own with pets and everything. Her parents had been
alcoholics and constantly had money problems. They moved
around constantly because they either couldn't pay the rent
or would be thrown out for some reason. Things got so bad
with them that they finally abandoned her and she ended up
in this shelter.
She no longer had anyone to call family.
I realized that her getting a bike anytime soon was
out of the question. I mean, who would buy it? Her
parents were gone and she was alone in the world, other
than for the people that ran the shelter. My heart just
ached for her.
We got so involved in our conversation that my teacher
had to come and tap me on the shoulder to tell me that it
was time to leave. I grabbed my bag and told her that I
hoped she'd have a merry Christmas and that she would get
everything she wanted. Before leaving the room I looked
back and gave her a little smile.
Later that night, I lay in bed remembering what the
girl had told me about what it was like to live at the
shelter. I thought about her life and about mine as well.
All I do is want and want and think that I never get
enough. Now I'd met a girl my age that had barely enough
to get by and who took nothing for granted. I never
understood when people would tell me how lucky I was. Now
I finally understood.
Over the next three days, I kept thinking about ways
that I could help make this girl's life better. Then, on
Christmas Eve while sitting in church listening to the
preacher speak, it dawned on me. I wanted to give her my
new bike (which I had not yet received!).
When I explained everything to my mom, she gave me a
smile that I could never fully describe Ä one like I have
never seen before. My mom found the paper that told what
children's shelter I had gone to, and on Christmas morning,
we headed for the shelter with my new bike in the trunk of
my mom's car.
I walked in feeling somewhat sorry that I would not be
the one getting the bike, but I also felt really good
inside. When I finally found her, she was sitting in the
corner where I had first met her. Her head was down and
she seemed to be sad. I walked over and said, "Merry
Christmas." Then I told her that I had something for her.
Her face brightened and she smiled as she looked up at
me. She looked happier than I have ever seen a kid look
before. I grabbed her hand and walked her over to the
door. Parked outside was my bright pink bike with a big
red bow on it. I was expecting a bigger smile than what I
had seen moments before, but instead I saw a tear running
down her cheek. She was so happy she felt like crying.
She thanked me over and over again. I knew then that what
I had done was a good thing. I knew I made a difference in
her life.
What I didn't know was how giving away the only bike
I'd ever had would make a difference in my life, too. But
it changed the way I thought about things, and over time, I
found that I wasn't as greedy as I was before.
I now realized that receiving a great gift gives you a
good feeling, but giving from the heart means more and
feels even better. I also realized that things aren't
always what they seem. There is always someone else who
might need something more than you do.
I didn't get to enjoy having that bike, but my mom was
proud of me and so was everybody else. In the long run,
that meant more to me than the bike ever could have.
By Brittany Anne Reese, age fifteen
Truly Cool
"The greatest communication skill is paying value to others"
Denis Waitley
Danny Kaye was the third choice to play opposite Bing Crosby in the film "White Christmas" (1954). Fred Astaire, who had co-starred with Crosby in the earlier hit "Holiday Inn," was the original choice for Phil Davis, but he turned it down because, at age 55, he felt he was too old for the part. Donald O'Connor was next selected for the sidekick role, but he injured his back and couldn't dance for months. Kaye was quite miffed about being third in line, and also resented playing second banana to Crosby. The atmosphere on the film set was professional, but frosty.
