Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Guest guest]

Lights for Lena

By L. Garrison

It had been the perfect winter night to view Christmas

lights. " Hurry, kids! " I shouted upstairs to my children.

" Daddy's already outside warming the van. " Within minutes

I heard excited voices. " Mommy! Mommy! " my six-year-old

daughter Abigail shouted, sliding on her behind down the

carpeted stairs. " Is the hot chocolate ready? "

" It's in the van, " I told her, smiling as my two-year-

old son Simeon tugged at my shirt. We were all wearing our

pajamas. After all, this was a Christmas tradition! Each

year at Christmastime, we'd get into our sleepwear, pack a

bag full of munchies, and head to our van to go looking at

decorations on neighboring houses. We had just stepped out

of the door when Abigail surprised me by asking, " Mama, can

you give me more money for doing my chores? I want to buy

you, Daddy, and Simeon the best gifts for Christmas! "

" The best gifts are those that come from the heart, " I

grinned, recalling how she had drawn me a picture of a

rainbow the day before after learning I hadn't been feeling

well.

" You mean that instead of buying people things at the

stores, that there's other ways to give them gifts? "

" Yep, " I answered, securing her seat belt. " All a

person has to do is look into their heart and they'll find

many good gifts to give. "

Settled into the van, we opened the bag of goodies and

the kids cheered as we passed house after house decorated

with snowmen, Santa and his reindeer, nativity scenes or

that were glowing brightly in Christmas lights.

Suddenly, it began snowing lightly just as we rounded

the corner of a street that led into the neighborhood that

my husband Jeff and I had lived in years ago. The

headlights flashed onto the first brick home of the street.

The house appeared disturbingly dark compared to the bright

lights displayed by its neighbors.

" The people who live there must not like Christmas, "

Abigail noted from the back seat.

" Actually, honey, " my husband said, stopping the van

briefly along the curb, " they used to have the best

decorated house in the neighborhood. " Jeff clasped my hand

and I sighed, remembering Lena and her husband and how they

used to take such joy in decorating their home for

Christmas. " It's for the children, " they'd say. " We like

to imagine them in the back seat of their parents' cars;

their little faces full of Christmas magic as they look at

our home. "

" Why don't they decorate it anymore? " Abigail asked,

bringing my attention to the present.

" Well, " I began, remembering the dark days when Lena's

husband had been hospitalized. " Her husband died a few

years ago, and Lena's very old. She only has one child and

he's a soldier living far away. "

" Tell me what she's like, " Abigail said, and for the

next few minutes Jeff and I filled her in on the kind

things Lena used to do.

" And every Sunday after church, she'd make homemade

cookies and invite us over. She's an incredible person, "

Jeff concluded.

" Can we visit her now? " asked Abigail.

Simeon met Abigail's question with enthusiastic

agreement, and I shared our children's excitement. Both

Jeff and I looked down at our attire.

" I knew this would happen one day, " he said, rubbing

his forehead. " First I let you talk me into wearing

pajamas in the van, and now you're going to want me to

actually go visiting, right? "

I kissed his cheek and an hour later, after leaving

Lena's home, Abigail and Simeon clutched the crocheted tree

ornaments she'd graciously given them.

" I wish I had a gift for her, " Abigail said, waving at

the elderly woman standing in her doorway.

The next morning, my children gave me strict orders

not to come upstairs. They said something about it being a

secret mission for Christmas. After rummaging through

drawers, closets and toy chests, they came down the stairs

wearing toy construction hats, snow boots, and Simeon's

play tool belts.

" What is all this? " I laughed. " Are you going to fix

things around here? "

" Nope, " Abigail smiled brightly. " We're going to give

a gift to Lena. Since she's too old and doesn't have

anyone to do it for her - we're going to decorate her house

for Christmas! "

Her words brought tears to my eyes. " That's a

wonderful idea, " I said, calling their father. " But I

think you'll need Daddy and me to help. Is it okay if

we're part of your secret mission? "

" Sure! " they replied. Hours later, we stood with

Lena, who couldn't have been happier, on the sidewalk in

front of her now brightly glowing house. The lights we had

found in her basement were shining with pride over snow-

capped arches and windows. Candy canes lined the sidewalk

and welcomed passersby to the Nativity scene that Abigail

and Simeon had positioned on the snow-covered lawn. A car

cruising along slowed its speed to view the lights. Two

children peeked from the back window, their faces full of

excitement. Lena watched them, her eyes aglow.

It had been a day full of hard work, but it was worth

every second to see the joy on her face. Suddenly, she

disappeared inside her home and returned carrying a tray of

freshly baked cookies.

Abigail reached her hand inside my coat pocket and

clutched my fingers.

" You were right, Mom, " she sighed, her dark eyes

content.

" About what, sweetie? "

She leaned her head against my arm, and replied, " The

best gifts are those from the heart. " I kissed the top of

her head, so proud of her for using her own heart to think

of this, and then I turned to my husband. Our eyes met and

he smiled.

" Looks like decorating Lena's house can be added to

our list of Christmas traditions, " he announced. The kids

heartily agreed.

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