The other day as I got something for the angel tree, I couldn't help but think of a time in my childhood and smiled. I wondered was I changing this child's life as mine was profoundly changed. This story I'm about to tell truly inspires us and has always reminded me who I am today. Hope you enjoy.
Many of you that know me, know that I grew up poor and for those of you who didn't know, well, you know now. We didn't have much and what we did have, we cherished knowing full well if we broke it there was no replacing.
Christmas was always slim around our house. My father may have had a blue collar job, the pay was minimum and Christmas bonuses were far few and in between.
Somehow though, my parents managed. They usually went to re-sale shops or the dollar store to get Christmas. We always had something under the tree. It may not have been much but it was something.
I believe people come into our lives with a purpose. Sure it may only be briefly that we know them or it could be a life time. But in either case, people venture into our lives for a reason and I believe it when I tell this story of the Good Samaritan in town.
I remember one year was a bad year. I mean bad. And Santa was probably not going to be coming to the house like he had in the past. I was a teenager by this time and saw things that my younger siblings were unaware of. By then I had quit making Christmas list, knowing full well I wasn't going to get what I wished for.
We did have a Christmas but it was fairly slim and I was grateful for the items I received. Most of the stuff was second hand but that didn't matter, for us kids it was Santa had came to the house.
Well, one day a very nice man came to the house. Trent Thomas was his name. I'm not sure if my father was working for his family at the time, but I do remember my father worked for them at one time. Anyway I remember
Later daddy returned with four gift wrapped boxes. My father said Santa came by while he was out talking. The boxes were nicely wrapped and the way they were addressed made us kids laugh.
Instead of names on each package, apparently the Mr. Thomas had a time trying to remember four children's name. So, on each box it read; the oldest girl, the youngest girl, the oldest boy, the youngest boy.
Well, that's what my father did, gave each of us our present. We tore into those little packages like there was no tomorrow. I really can't recall what my siblings got, but I remember what I got; a plush Teddy Bear.
I was beyond thrilled. It was so soft. I remember for months I kept that teddy bear nearby for comfort when things got bad around the house.
Even though the teddy bear, which I still, have; was a simple gift. That simple gift to me was a signal someone out there in this big old world cared about me and my siblings.
Now most people would have just said I did my part to society and be done with it. But Mr. Thomas was different. The following year we got another gift from the family. That year I received a watermelon necklace, it too, I still have. But the following year would be the year that would actually change my life and make me who I am today.
I know many of you have inspired to be something because of something tragic in your life or what you believe. I was inspired by a family who gave me the tools to be who I am today.
That year Mr. Thomas brought by the gifts and as usual my father handed them out. I still can't recall what my siblings got but I do remember what I got.
I opened my gift and inside was this notebook, but not just any notebook. I had seen these notebooks all over school. For those of you who are young and reading this I don't mean computer laptops. I mean a notebook that held paper.
The notebook was blue and on the outside were clear Ziploc plastic covers. This was the fancy version of the Trapper Keeper, all the rage when I was in school.
Girls really liked them. They would have their favorite teen idol's picture they had cut from the teen mags and place them in the clear pocket.
I was going to be like the others now and have me a Trapper Keeper and could put pictures in the clear sides. Have to say, I really didn't have any teen pictures at the time so I would be searching for a few of those.
Inside my trapper was notebook paper. I'm sure it was just a ream of the stuff, but it sure seemed like two or three packages filled it. I also got pens and pencils to go with my new notebook and paper.
Now most kids would probably think this was a stupid gift, but for me it meant the world. You see, I did a lot of day dreaming as a child.
As the oldest I felt it was my job to keep the siblings dreaming too. So many nights while we were all trying to get to sleep I remember telling stories until we all passed out. I sometimes took old school papers and wrote on the back of them story ideas I had.
I know this is weird when I say this, especially coming from a teenager at the time, but I thought it to be a sign. A sign I should write down all my stories or at least my ideas and lock them away from the rest of the world.
Later I would sit in my room and write poems and short stories and dream of the day I would be a writer. I did this for hours. My imagination went wild with stories all because someone gave me paper and the writing tools to do such. Of course it would be my teacher, Mrs. Wylie Jean Stokes, who would foster those writing skills that were inside of me.
The following year, and many years after that we would receive five dollar bills instead of the usual wrapped package. And every year I always bought pens and paper along with a little candy. I would go to my room and write.
Trent Thomas gave to us every year, gave me something, the one thing that to this day reflects who I am, Texas Author Carla Landreth.
So remember the next time you go out your way to help a child, you could be helping a future doctor, lawyer, teacher, policeman or writer.
Now wait, this story isn't over! That's what you are saying. The burning question you want to know is who did I put in my Trapper Keeper?
Good question. Well, this is the kicker. I convinced my grandma to buy me one of those teen magazines with the stars in it. She had this funny notion there might be a picture of Rudy Valentino, she had a crush on the dead man. She already had a picture of Clark Gable. As a teen I rolled my eyes knowing full well that wasn't possible but I wasn't going to argue.
In my Keeper, I had Michael J Fox, he was on Family Ties at the time, Billy Hufsey, he was on Fame, later I would get signed picture from him, in fact several, before he dropped off the face of the earth, and well I had a group picture of the A-Team. I traded off John Travolta and Ralph Macchio for it. I had a severe crush on Faceman or at least the guy who played him--Dirk Benedict. I was able to later collect a few more pictures of the A-team by trading. As they say, I grew up from adolescent heart throbs and moved on to greener pastures.
Books by Carla Landreth
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=carla+landreth
i LIKE YOUR STORY.
ReplyDelete