A Christmas Poem Written In Honor Of My Dad
A Christmas Memory
The scene I recall I shall never forget,
The images saved in my memory's net.
The wooden door, the screen hanging in shreds,
The wizened young woman, the house so unkempt.
She invited us in, our burdens looked heavy,
We set them down, straightened up, there . . . we were ready!
We asked, "Would she mind?" a few gifts we had there
To give to the children who were under her care.
Children scattered, then peeked at us from their perch
We were there, we said, from the Methodist Church.
We opened the sack and they crowded to see
What we'd brought them to put under their new Christmas tree.
I remember the wonder appear in their eyes
As we gave them, to each, a special surprise.
Soon 'twas time to leave, we'd just barely arrived!
But we had other stops to make that night.
We were thanked by the woman time after time
But no thanks could compare with the look in her eyes.
As her gaze swept over the gift-littered floor
She knew Christmas had visited her home once more.
Many years have gone past since that Christmas of yore
And each brings gay parties and gifts galore.
And each year the presents are grander and finer
And each year the memory serves a reminder --
That the best gift e'er given to me came that year
I helped dad in a Santa suit bring tidings of cheer
To a family who might not have known why Christmas is
Had there not been someone to bring love in a gift.
The memory lingers, the images rusty,
The sights and sounds are sometimes quite fuzzy.
But the message will always shine through oh so clear
The best gift God gave us is to hold everyone dear!
And the love we pass on, even to those we don't know
Will return to us stronger by one hundred fold.
So my prayer for this Christmas is one of thanksgiving
For a father on earth who taught love as a blessing.
And a Creator in heaven who blessed me with dad's living!