PROOF- Santa exists..

[colterphoto1]

This is an easy and fun OT subject gang. All I'm asking for here is stories of unilateral Holiday Spirit. Needn't be Christmas related or Christian in nature. Just simple deeds or stories that emphasize man's humanity to man at this time of year. Good Deeds if you will. In the humble spirit in which this thread is started, you MAY NOT list good deeds of your own doing. I'll start...

There is a Santa Claus and he is Jewish and lives next door to me. (tongue-in-cheek, okay?). Allow me to explain. I'm fairly new to neighborhood (6 months) have met a few of the neighbors, but with 2 acre lots and 150 ft drives, it's not like we run into each other all the time. We got like 10 solid inches of snow last night. Neighbors are shoveling short drives, using tractor with plows at 5 am, or hiring trucks. I don't have equipment yet and didn't get set up with a service ahead of time. Standing by the road waving $50 bills couldn't get a plow to stop.

My neighbor, whom I'd only spoken to a few times in passing, has a mini-blower and had his drive clear in no time. Asks if he can clear me a path, I think he's maybe gonna do one swath so I can get to mailbox. The guy (an attorney) works on my drive, sweating, for 30 minutes, while I shovel both our walks. He won't accept any money, so I just wish him happy holidays and tell him I'll do a family portrait for him next time they're all together. I tell him "you know, this means much more to me than a clean drive". He knows what I mean. We shake hands. The seeds of friendship are sown. Beautiful. Faith in humanity restored.

next?

Michael

[lynnm]

NICE

[dodger]

Well this is an easy one for me.

We have a halfway decent sized homeless population. A few years ago, the people that used to sit beside us at the Hockey Games and sometimes came to the Shaw Festival with us figured I'd know if anyone one of the more trustworthy, active, high numbered shelters.

To preface, they had opened a baking goods supplies and teaching Center.

I gave them the name of one. Christmas comes, 20 2 layer large sheet cakes are delivered. Easter, Same thing. Director of the Shelter said his receiving person caught a name, knew it was legit, but couldn't remember the name.

I said something to our friends and they were quiet. Says me, this needs investigating before a possible poisoning (who says I don't trust people?.)

Christmas comes, Dinner time is known, I sat in my truck. It was the people who sat next to us having their class bake the cakes and give them "quietly."

Bless them for all the years and all the ingredients they paid for. Didn't even tell me.

dodger

[j-malotky]

Just this morning, listening to the radio on my way to work, a local story came on about a sigle mother with 5 children under the age of 11 had a house fire last weekend and lost absolutely everything. At the moment, each child is staying with different people. The station was collecting cloths, food, money, anything to help out this family. One woman who is a landlord in the neighborhood of this family offered one of her open units for them to use and was bringing over the keys so they could get in today and be together for christmas.

When I was growing up, high school years, we had Christmas dinner at my aunts house every year. One of her traditions was to open there house to unfortunate people. One year, they had over an older woman who was homeless. She was sharing stories from the depresion and WW2 years etc and was so very interesting to listen to. As the stories grew in grandure, I started to think that she was a crazy old woman who was inventing a reality to cope with her situation, so I would smile and keep listening. During her story that she was once a concert pianist, she noticed the piano in the corner of the living room and went over and played Beethoven without flawand full of emotion!!! At the beginning of dinner, she made the most heartfull prayer of thanks I have ever heard.

I try to help others. Am I doing enough? I know I could do more for others and probably should.

ColterPhoto, thanks for starting this thread.

JM

[colterphoto1]

Sorry, your stories reminded me on another one, so I'll Double-Dip.

You got a problem with dat?

Local Salvation Army has an old van to haul around their bell-ringers. Recently one caught on fire while full of passengers, one of whom was a bell-ringer in a wheelchair. Driver saves him, everyone is alright. Van a total loss. I'm putting money in the pot at local grocery, ask the guy about the van and their program. Turns out they had TWO VANS donated after their disaster. The publicity has made their pots overflow this season. Think of all the good they will be able to do with their funds. Sometimes good stuff just happens to the right people.

Michael

[Bruinsrme]

Having a snow blower is a treat. My neighbor works for a city and when it snows he is always stuck at work plowing. I do his driveway and two neighbors drive ways. One of the neighbors got slick and at the end of the season slipped $100 best buy gift cards in a nice card and left it under my windshield wiper. Well, I do not accept money or gratuities from my neighbors. That evening his kids had 2 new leap pads and 3 new games. My neighbors did get slick, one of them saw the dealer truck picking up the snowblower for the tune up. They paid for the tune up. Pissed me off

[edwinr]

Good thread, Michael. Some nice stories here.

I've never doubted Santa exists. There are scores of nice people who do wonderful things for people, yet are happy to go unrecognised. These people are truly Santa's helpers.

[Joe Shmoe]

"Just simple deeds or stories that emphasize man's humanity to man at this time of year. Good Deeds if you will"

Hmmm, where to start....

As some of you know or have read, I have been dealing with Cancer since mid August. Since that time me and my wife have been blessed by numerous people. I do not get disability from work & I have become one of the 75% of Social Security applicants to be denied, so times have been tough. When it all began, I was more concerned with the financial aspect of things rather than the bigger fact that I could actually die.

Now as I have finished up Chemotherapy & am on to Radiation Therapy after the new year, things looking back have not been near as bad as they could have been & that's due to the outpouring of support we have recieved from friends and family. Also I need to add my wifes employer, where she has only been employed 6 mos. These people have gone over and beyond anything we had expected. They have held bake sales, chili sales, people who she did not even know would come up with a check made out & hand it to her with their blessings, or donate gift cards etc... We have had the same happen in cards mailed to our home. I cannot tell you how humbling this makes me feel, and sometimes it brings tears to my eyes because it is like a prayer has been answered. Our neighbors have also been a great help. They have cooked dinner for us just about every Monday (that was my Chemo day) and have snowplowed our driveway. This past weekend she cut hair at her salon & donated that days sales to us. Just so many good deeds from so many people, we are truly grateful.

While I am at it I would like to thank Trey Cannon, Tom Adams & the rest of the forum members who have been very supportive. Having this forum to check in on from time to time has really been fun & I look forward to a whole new year.

-Joe

[illthreat]

What cancer cannot do, because it is so limited.

It cannot cripple love,

It cannot shatter hope,

It cannot corrode faith,

It cannot eat away peace,

It cannot destroy confidence,

It cannot kill friendships,

It cannot shut out memories,

It cannot silence courage,

It cannot invade the soul,

It cannot reduce eternal life,

It cannot quench the spirit,

It cannot lessen the power of resurrection.

Why must I bear the pain, I cannot tell,

I only know my lord does all things well.

And so I trust in God, my all in all,

For He will bring me through, whatever I befall.

Our greatest enemy is not disease, but despair.

My father enjoyed writing in his later years. He fought with cancer this past year.

This was one of the last things he wrote. I share it with you, so it may give you hope.

Merry X-mas,

Chris

[Joe Shmoe]

Thank You Chris! Sorry to hear about your father. I can relate to that poem very well, as it speaks the truth. Happy Holidays to you & yours.

-Joe

[dodger]

In reading this thread, I know that Santa exists due to all of the people in the Klipsch Community.

It seems that the Members of the Forum are like the neighbors I had when young.

There to help, there to Support,

There to share. In a word THERE.

Now we pull into our driveways or into our garages and walk traight into the house. There's a lot lost.

Here is where it's gone. And our Neighborhodd has Grown: Canada, Greece, Austrailia (with its Angel.) The full U.S..

So, having this Forum, the Forum Members and theit showing of caring and support, plus advice - MDeneen, still waiting for the workout video proves that Santa exists. He has a lot of great helpers.

Merry Christmas,

dodger