Last night, as I pulled off my fourth ugly Christmas sweater of the week, folded it and put it on the shelf, I realized there was barely any room left in my closet. So, I went downstairs to my kitchen and grabbed trash bags.

I spent the next half hour bagging up the clothes I haven’t worn all year and won’t in the next. I thought three Hefty’s would be enough. But, as I looked at the pile on my floor, I realized I needed another and another.

One by one, I lugged each of the full bags down to my living room. I looked at them lined up against my sofa and thought, “thank you Lord! Despite the tens of thousands of dollars I’ve spent on medicine, hospital visits and procedures in my life, I’ve been blessed to keep a roof over my head, food in my belly and more clothes, shoes and material things than I need. So, I happily pass my blessings on to people in need. I’m not arrogant enough to think I may not and haven’t needed assistance in my life. Actually, I’ve been close to losing it all more times than I can count. This is the least I can do .”

When I pulled into the Salvation Army parking lot, an elderly black man and a gaunt white man wearing thin coats walked up to my car. It was 27 degrees. I was sitting inside with a ski jacket and the heat on.

The men grabbed the bags out. Then, the black man asked if he could soak up some of my heat. I let him in the car and talked to him while I completed the receipt. He said he spent the last six months getting back on his feet with the help of the Salvation Army so he is paying them back. He said he hopes he can start again. I told him, “we can all begin again. We fall down but we can always get back up.”

**(and yes I have on another ugly sweater today… picture included)

#ChristmasSpirit #SeasonOfGiving #generosity #HappyHolidays #charity #blackgirlmagic #nevergiveup #christmasbaby #payitforward #invisibleillness #chronicillness #chronicpain #disability #autoimmunedisease #spoonie