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Celebrate Holiday Season By Giving To Others

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By LUIS M. LOPEZ, Special to the Tribune

Published: December 16, 2007

Updated: 12/15/2007 10:55 pm

As the year comes to an end, we are faced with a holiday that is the most celebrated in the world. Christmas is a special time of year in this country. Its traditions go back a long way in history.

But over the course of a few generations, the meaning behind this hallowed day has been obscured by the rampant commercialization of the holiday season. It has never been more apparent or ravenous than it is in America today.

We are all guilty of it. We go to the mall or local megastore and spend a lot of money to buy gifts for our family and friends. And, as such, it appears Christmas has lost whatever religious meaning it ever had.
Material things that rarely stand the test of time have replaced Christ and the tradition of love and compassion he wanted us to share.

I recently went to our local park in Zephyrhills to think about what I can do to make this holiday season a memorable one. As I sat to meditate, I observed many of our neighbors celebrating this season with their families and friends. It was a warming thought to see such love and compassion among so many.

As I walked around, I could not help but think about our neighbors who cannot celebrate with us. I thought about our soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the world, and I thought about my family and close friends.

All these thoughts were trumped by the thought and image of those who will go hungry. Many of our neighbors will not be able to care for themselves this season. They will rely on the mercy and love of others to make their Christmas bearable.

The number of poor and homeless is at record highs this year. As a community, let us not get so blinded by the commercialization that we fail to see our neighbors in need.

Like most everybody, I like to receive gifts. However, I have learned that the gift of giving is more rewarding. The feeling of accomplishment is much more powerful and lasting than any material thing we may receive.

As you celebrate with your family and friends, consider an alternative: Giving to your local charity. A small gift to a charity like Meals on Wheels or the local food pantry or kitchen will bring smiles to many.

Just imagine the gratitude of an elderly person who relies on strangers and their gifts to survive, or imagine the look of gratefulness in the eyes of a child who is hungry and would rather get a piece of bread than any toy this Christmas.

Remember, the gift of giving has lasting rewards. You will find, as you look back on your life, that the moments that stand out the most are the moments when you have done things for others, when you were selfless and caring.

I ask that each of us make a rule, a rule to never to lie down at night without being able to say, "I have made one human being at least a little wiser, a little happier or a little better this day."

My father once told me: "No one is ever honored for what they receive. They are honored for what they give. For in giving, you keep hope alive. To make lasting hope and change in the life of others, you must be the change you wish to see in them."

Pope John Paul II once stated: "The uneaten bread in your cupboard should be given to the hungry man; the coat hanging unused in your closet should be given to the man who needs it; and the shoes rotting in your closet should be given to the man who has none. Who do you wrong when you fail to have compassion on your neighbor? Do you fail man or do you fail God?"

Luis M. Lopez is a youth counselor and Zephyrhills city councilman.

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