Best Gift I Ever Gave {Tis The Season}

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{My dog Pee Wee when he was a baby}

If someone asks you, “What’s the best gift you ever gave?”, what comes to mind? A Wii? The hot electronic item of the season? A homemade gift? Money? A fabulous vacation?

Well, I’ve been thinking about that a lot for this post, and I began reflecting on every gift I’ve given someone. What I came to find was that items that can be bought are fabulous (helloooo iPhone!), but isn’t it often the intangible things that are truly the best things in life? Those moments that grip at your heart strings. Bring a smile to your face. Make you realize what this thing called life is really all about.

I remember about a year ago when I was contacted by an animal shelter that I regularly donate to about a special child with a special holiday wish. The child was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and the doctor didn’t give the child much time to live. All the child wanted was a pet, so the Humane Society wanted to step in to help make that wish come true. The child, only 6 years old, picked a dog from the shelter who also had cancer. The letter the boy wrote said he wanted someone “like him” so they could go through cancer together. Of course this meant the dog had expensive medical bills and medicines that would be quite expensive for a family to afford if their little one was facing cancer. The medical bills for the dog were about $700 a month.

That’s where myself and many other people came in to make a donation to help make this happen for the child. To me, it was the least I could do to help someone in need. I didn’t look at it as donating money- I looked at it as providing comfort, companionship and courage to a little boy who might not have much time to enjoy the things I get to enjoy daily. And personally, my dog Pee Wee is a huge source of happiness in my life. I love him more than words can ever explain.

During the middle of this year, I got an updated e-mail that the young boy had passed away with his dog by his side, and the family thanked all of us donors for taking care of the dog’s medical costs during their difficult time. If that wasn’t sad enough, the e-mail also said his dog passed away about a week after the boy did. The dog was so sad without the boy and went to be with him forever more.

To this day, I can’t think of the boy and his dog without crying. Tears are running down my face even now. Sometimes, it’s sad tears. I feel life can be cruel. Unfair. Awful. Why him? Why his family? Why the dog? Why?

And other times, I cry out of happiness that I was able to do something amazing for someone. Able to make someone’s life fuller and happier. Even if for a small period of time.

That, to me, is truly the greatest gift of all.

So, in this time of gifts and parties, let’s all think back to what the holidays and life is really all about. Celebrating with each other, loving one another and giving as much as we are able to.

Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

SWAGG has partnered with non-profit Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to SU2C up to $125,000. Awesome, right?! Visit the SU2C site for more info http://www.standup2cancer.org/ Download it today to help this amazing cause!

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