The greatest gift

Yesterday I attended a dinner for the homeless and hungry in our area. The group that put it on prepared 60 turkeys with all the trimmings. It has been about five years since I involved myself with this group, and now I'm wondering why it took me so long to do it again. And why I limit this involvement only to the holiday time.

The group that organized this goes about it with such respect. The gymnasium is decorated beautifully. The tables are set with real dishes and nice paper napkins. Candles burn in bowls of cranberries. People sit at the tables and are served, rather than standing in a line to receive their meal. Their plates are cleared for them, and dessert, coffee or tea brought.

My husband and I provided music for the first hour and a half. Although I love to sing, and humbly acknowledge that I do have a gift in my voice, I have never been a confident public singer. But yesterday, I felt as though I had been handed every confidence in the world. We sang "O Holy Night" and I felt as if I was transported to another realm while I was up on the stage.

I watched young and old sit and share a meal together. Homeless with wealthy. Scholars with illiterate. There were many points when I could not tell one from the other. Everyone was together - enjoying the season. Some serving and some being served. Hard to tell whether I did more serving than being served yesterday. My soul feels as though I received far more than I ever could give.

And it is at times like this that I understand. If we are not meant to be parents to our own biological child, my husband and I have many other callings in this life. I will most definitely be sad. I will miss knowing that we share a child. But we will work together to leave a legacy here on this earth. And we will continue to be served ourselves as we travel.

Yesterday was the best gift I've been given in years.