A Christmas Story
By Ruthe
Christmas, 2002

This is the most beautiful time of the year for me especially with all my treasured memories---last night our Minister greatly inspired me during our Church services, Reverend Mark chose to speak to his large congregation a message of * Giving--- he made sure we all understood what the word Giving means, we are not to use it just because we feel we have too, but we must give from our hearts. Giving is a beautiful thing and it will travel to many places and to many people through out the World and does not necessarily mean giving or receiving money, a nice and ( not a false flattery ) but a true compliment to someone will bring a smile, it's an important way of giving, without you realizing that perhaps it made that person happy that day, this touching Sermon brought back wonderful memories for me as we left the church.

My daughter Lynn and her husband John, on the way home asked if I would like stopping by their son's music studio and to hear his new song writings, and of course I love Dax's music and I certainly agreed. After listening to his beautiful songwriting and the impressive message still on my mind--- I looked at my Grandson and said you and our Minister tonight have given me an inspiration to write another true story of a beautiful memory. I couldn't wait to get home to get my story started. What an inspiration this beautiful evening has given me. My Minister and my Grandson Dax.

This is my memory--- my best girlfriend of many years and we both met in kindergarten at six years old, we have kept' in touch with each other through out these many years until last * Christmas Day when my dear little friend was called to Heaven. I will cherish this long and beautiful friendship that Mary Elizabeth and I had until I die. The good and the bad memories that will linger for me of Liz and I will be in my heart for the years to come, we had hard times but we had each other, after WWII she and her husband Carl decided to stay and retire with the Air Force and was assigned several duties to many distant places around the World. At this time I was running my little beauty parlour and barely making ends meet, we though always stayed in touch with each other, she would mention many times in her Christmas cards of her beloved grandmother who lived in a nursing home close to me, this cute little white haired granma would call me to get her hair done on occasion and we would have the many laughs of the past years of Liz and I, what delightful little visits they were. One day granma called and said she needed a perm, but mentioned the hard times she was having but she could pay me a dollar a month for the perm if I could let her do that--- I assured her she would get a nice perm and I asked her about her having a birthday very soon, she was so happy that I had remembered, I then asked if I could give her the perm as a Birthday present ---- I'll never forget her quivering little voice of gratitude---- I was so elated and knew down deep in my heart that I had made someone very happy that afternoon, my business had fallen off so deeply and I was hurting financially and needed customers badly to run my home and my salon with the many expenses, but I couldn't say * NO to this poor little frail woman and I decided to do without something myself and give it to her, but as the Minister said last evening --- to give will always come back to you in many different ways I hadn't thought of getting anything back on this afternoon of giving to someone so deserving, I was doing this from my heart and I could do without this one time, it was not going to hurt me one bit to do this for someone that was kinda' down and certainly not well in health, and this gift to granma did return to me in many ways. God had blessed me for giving from my heart and without my knowledge, how incredible this was to me and almost unbelievable.

Giving Grandma a $10.00 Birthday Present that afternoon and making her so happy certainly did bring back many wonderful things to me, showering my salon with many new customers coming in to get their services--- so many new ladies that I didn't know but they all lived close by and had heard of my salon.This new clientele forced me to hire several new people to help me in my work and it soon become a very successful and a wonderful life for me and my children---- it not only furnished me with a good living but what a beautiful and a warmer heart it had given me and I was able to share this great feeling with my 2 little kids even though they were so very young but they never forgot , and then eventually they instilled the meaning if give down to their children---- * Giving and it coming directly from your heart is a great feeling, a real sense of knowing you have helped someone in need and perhaps less fortunate. And you will reap benefits------ I certainly did.

Grandma Howard became very ill, she died soon after helping me financially, she never ever realized what she had done for me and my little ones that very afternoon---- what a memory she and Liz have left me. I thank them both from the bottom of my heart for being my friends, and they will always be with me. How happy the Minister and my Grandson made me feel last night and to have given me this wonderful inspiration to share my true story here at Christmas, a time when * Giving is so wonderful.

Bless you all, do have a joyful holiday--- a season of love is with us, shower your loved ones with gifts from your hearts---- you will gain in many ways as I have.

Your friend, Ruthe