With the tragedy that has struck the victims in Joplin, Missouri due to the horrific tornados they endured recently, we each think about wanting to do something for them. We talk about it with our co-workers, friends, family and neighbors. We watch the devastation on the news, hear about it on the radio and see it in the newspapers. Again, we TALK about doing something. Many of us do step forward and take action, yet I wonder at how much of a sacrifice or cost to our own self do we do this?
I recently read a post on Facebook from friend who was asking for donations to send to those that have lost everything in Joplin. Asking for shovels, gloves, tools, camping equipment. clothes, shoes, diapers, sundries anything and everything that fell under the category of “gently used”. Semi- trucks were going to be filled to the brim with these donations and then make their way from Utah to Missouri. As I watched the posts over and over again, many “clicked like”, but didn’t seem to do much else to really help. I decided that I needed to do something. I called my friend after gathering clothes, shoes, sundries and other garments that I either was going to give away to a charity or just passed over time and time again in my closet for one reason or another. Feeling pretty good about gathering 2 huge garbage bags full of items, I came to the realization that if I could do this why couldn’t my neighborhood?
Making a few calls to another friend who has the “pull and connections” to everyone in our neighborhood, I pitched my idea. If everyone could go through their things and bring it to my porch as well as my friend’s…think of the amount of things we could collect! I was on a MISSION!
I sent an email explaining my idea, which in turn she would forward to the neighborhood. In the email it explained what we were looking for and where to drop the items. We were collecting these items from now through Monday morning, giving us time in order for the message to be shared in a flyer as well as announced on Sunday at church. Things were starting to come together and the plan was in motion!
This afternoon, one of the neighbors a few doors down came over and explained his family which included his grown daughter, son-in law and grandchildren had gathered together many things to donate and if they could bring them over. As they started bringing bags of clothes, sundries, and other miscellaneous things in brown packing boxes and large garbage bags, Jett the youngest grandson, had a turquoise gift box in his hands. The box which had a baggie taped to the top was filled with items and sealed shut. It contained a picture of Jett with a HUGE smile on his face, in which he was holding a giraffe stuffed animal, a notepad of paper, a pen and addressed stamped envelopes. The box was taped shut on all 4 sides. That massive smile on his face in the picture told the story of just how much this little stuffed animal meant to him. It was his best friend and his protector, it was EVERYTHING to Jett.
Jett explained that “Stuart” was his best friend and that he couldn’t go to sleep without him at night. He LOVED him so much, but he was now in the turquoise box, taped shut, with the baggie on top filled with the notepad, stamped envelopes and most importantly the picture of him holding his best friend Stuart. It was time to send Stuart on a journey to Joplin, Missouri so another little boy or girl could hold him and love him and he could protect them from all the bad things that go bump in the night. He put the notepad, the pen and the stamped envelopes inside the baggie along with that very special picture of his ENORMOUS smile with Stuart, so that the little boy or girl who would be so very lucky to receive Stuart, would have all the necessary things to write to Jett. He asked them to please let him know that Stuart arrived safely to his new home in Missouri AND to please write him often to let him know that Stuart was happy and doing okay.
My heart sank as Jett’s little voice was shaking, telling me how much he loved his little stuffed giraffe. As he walked away with his family, my heart was feeling so many different emotions that this sweet little six year old had set off inside me. As I went back into my office to continue working, I looked outside the window and saw Jett and his brother coming up the walkway. My mind started wondering…did he change his mind about giving away his best friend? Was it just too much for this little guy to do, knowing he would never see Stuart ever again? My husband went out to meet him and after a brief chat he came back into the house, holding that turquoise box taped tightly closed with Jett’s most precious item inside of it. My husband explained that Jett was worried about Stuart being outside alone on the porch and if we could keep him inside the house until he went onto the truck to take him to Missouri and to his new family.
As I sit here typing this, Stuart is comfy in his turquoise box, taped tightly with the baggie of notepaper, pen and envelopes on my desk, inside my home, where it is warm and safe until he arrives at his new destination and is given to a new family.
So my question is this. If each one of us gave daily to others something that we LOVE so much, CARE about so deeply, that makes us FEEL so safe and secure, just as Jett did at the tender age of six years old, could you imagine what an incredibly beautiful world we would live in! What are you going to do at this moment… right now to make a difference in someones life…who really needs help? Can you be as selfless as a sweet little six year old named Jett?
Judee Guay
Life Coach, LifeVision Expert and Speaker
