Salvation Army Pennies

Tonight I hurried through the walmart door to get Ethan out of the cold, passing the Salvation Army Bell Ringer with barely a glance.  And I felt guilty.  Especially when I realized that everyone around me was doing the same thing.  The thin, older gentleman with a scruffy face and worn clothes just kept ringing and smiling and greeting, but no one was greeting him back. 

I started wondering what must motivate the Salvation Army volunteers and I realized I have no idea, and want to find out.  But mostly I was thinking about what we're teaching our children when we have no time to stop and dig a few pennies out of our pockets for the less fortunate.  I looked down and my rosy cheeked, bundled, obvlivious little one-year old and knew that he had no idea.  I knew that he would have no idea what was going on if I had stopped.  But what stopped me, was the fear that next year I would be looking at my two year old and thinking same thing, and feeling but ignoring the same guilt.  And the year after that, a three year old and so on.

So, even though he had no idea what I was talking about, as we started our grocery shopping adventure, I had a little talk with Ethan.  I told him about the people who needed our help, and promised that on the way out of the store we would stop, dig some change of out mommy's wallet and I would show him how it all worked.

And we did.

Freezing cold though it was, Ethan smiled, waved and watched as I poured a handful of change into the red bucket and exchanged holiday greetings.  But I think he understood the bell-ringer's enthusiasm, and the way the air seemed to change a little as he waved goodbye and we hurried to the car in the crisp wind, high on the feeling of holiday giving and the anticipation of the holidays.

I think we started a little tradition tonight.  I can't wait until he is old enough to proudly put his own pennies in the bucket all by himself, and can experience all of the joy that such a simple act can bring.  I hope that Salvation Army Pennies are only the beginning of developing him into a generous, caring and unselfish little man.