TOO MANY ANGELS

But like so many things, the simplicity belies a complex web of volunteers who make it happen while keeping it all so simple to the rest of us. It starts with those who have the trusted reach into the community to assess the needs and in some way validate them, then collecting and sorting all those requests. And then there is the enormous effort of taking all that data, cataloging it and transforming it into those actionable
ornaments that you and I get to select, while preserving the confidentiality and dignity of those they benefit. Also keeping track of it all is vitally important so that, as a wrapped gift appears, it gets to the proper recipient. And then there is the logistics of getting those gifts to the recipients and doing so in a time and in a way that curious little eyes are not witnessing the process and having cause to question the mystery.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to help in the “logistics operation” of one such Angel Tree – working in a vacant office space that was donated for a few weeks specifically for this project; the acquisition of which is another one of those things that we just don’t think about, but somebody has to take the initiative to make that happen. I was in the sorting and stacking operation. It was extremely rewarding for me to witness the reaction of those who had volunteered to pick up all the wrapped gifts from under those trees and deliver them to this temporary
logistics center. As their eyes scanned the room, the stacks of wrapped gifts, the rows of shiny new bicycles, they immediately reacted with awe at the generosity of a few who were truly making a difference in the lives of many. It really was like peering in to Santa’s Workshop. There was a table where gifts with lost or no labels were matched to lists to find the appropriate recipient, or where gifts were wrapped or re-wrapped if needed. And none of these volunteers did any of this work with an ounce of complaining about those who didn’t quite follow all the rules to a “T”. They were grateful for the gifts, happy to be able to fill a slot along the wall, knowing that it completed a Christmas Wish List for a family in need.

As we finished our work that afternoon and drove away, the faces of those people in awe flashed again in my mind’s eye. I don’t know what stories they tell of their experience, what they saw, what they witnessed, how they felt. I only know mine. I turned on some music but before I could switch to some carols to cement the good will I was feeling, the remnants of a song came on from a CD I was listening to on my drive to
that center that afternoon:

There's an angel on a ribbon
Hanging from the armoire door
There's a Cupid with his feet crossed
On the bird cage by the door
There's a baby angel drummer
His eyes are open wide
And two more tiny cherubs
On the mantle side by side
Too many angels…

I smiled as I thought in that one afternoon I had the privilege to work with so many angels, so many people who were giving with all their hearts to those who just needed to feel a little of that love - Human Touch; to the hundreds of people who picked up an ornament and acted on it to make a Christmas dream come true. And, mostly I thought of all that happens and all those angels who work behind the scenes, anonymously, to make this simple act of kindness be and remain just that – simple. It all works because it is so easy for you and me. “Too many angels” as the song suggests? Nah, what I experienced was sooo many angels!

May your hearts be touched by the grace of an angel this holiday season and throughout the New Year.