Paper Angels(rewrite)

Paper Angels

by

Cristy Lawler







Meg’s favorite time of year had always been Christmas. For as long as she could remember her family had gotten together at her grandmother’s house. The women would send hours catching up, the men watched football, and the kids played all day. Christmas was always about family, not what you got.



As Meg got older, the more she noticed how Christmas had become so materialistic. It was more about who bought what, how much they spent, and who got the better gift, which usually meant the most expensive. It was so bad that by Halloween the stores already had Christmas decorations up. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at and just stared out at the sea of shiny ornaments, shimmering garland, and  twinkling lights she thought to herself,” Why even bother, nobody cares about the true meaning of Christmas anymore, they just care about who’s make the most profit.”



Soon Thanksgiving had come and gone and Christmas was just weeks away, however Meg hadn’t bought one single gift, and she had no plans to do otherwise. Nope, as a matter of matter of fact she was quite positive she wasn’t. No gifts, no parties, she wasn’t even going to her grandmother’s. Nope Meg had decided she was boycotting Christmas all together this year.



Meg had made her mind up that she was going to splurge on herself this year.  What better way to celebrate than to spoil yourself. She wouldn’t have to worry about whether her Aunt Abby like the sweater or if she got the new baby the right size outfit. She knew whatever she picked out she would definitely love.



With Christmas just a week away Meg decided to go to the mall and spoil herself. After-all the mall was full of her favorite stores. As she leaded to her favorite shoe store with this cute little pair of heels on her mind, Meg was completely focused on shoes when she saw the largest Christmas tree she had ever seen in her life. It stopped her in her tracks. It was easily 10 feet tall, maybe more.  Meg couldn’t help herself she was drawn to the Christmas like a child to a dish full of candy. The closer she got to the tree however, the more she noticed it wasn’t covered with ornaments instead it was covered with pieces paper, not just pieces of random paper but paper angels.



Meg stood stunned before the tree. The holiday roar of shoppers had become no more than a whisper in the background. Suddenly a man voice said, “Amazing isn’t it?”  Meg nodded in silence, and then asked, “What’s all the angles for?”



“Each angel represents a child. A child who has been abused, neglected, or abandoned. This is their only chance at having a Christmas.” He told her, and then continued on, “Most of these kids just want shoes, coats maybe a doll or a truck.” Meg didn’t know what to say. She just stared in disbelief at the tree. “So many…so many kids” she whispered to herself.



Suddenly Meg felt the need to shop, and shop she did. She is in full shopping mode or focused than before. She had to shop; no she needed to shop, and shop she did. She bought sweaters, shoes, pants, everything her heart desired. By the end of the day Meg had spent all the money she had saved up, and she had bags full of stuff. “I can’t remember the last time I felt this good” she thought to herself as she waited in line.



Meg waited patiently in the line, slowly making her way to the counter.  When it was her turn Meg placed one bag, than another bag, and another, and another. When she was done there were ten bags lined up overflowing with clothes, shoes, and toys, all attached with a single paper angel.

.

As Meg made her way to her car she knew there would be ten children who would have a Christmas, ten children who would have clothes, shoes, and that special toy that dreaming of. As she slowly made her way back to her car, Meg was tired and exhausted but she was filled with a feeling she hadn’t felt since she was a child. Meg had rediscovered the true meaning of Christmas again. She had rediscovered the love, kindness, hopefulness, joy, and the blessings of Christmas, and she hoped these children felt it too.



Christmas morning was everything Meg could have asked for. She did go to her grandmother’s house for Christmas, and she did bring gifts. Only these gifts were homemade gifts, each and every one was made with care and most important…love. The men still spent all day watching their football games, the women still spent all day catching up, and the children still played all day. Everyone spent the whole day at her grandmother’s like they had always done, and for Meg she wouldn’t have had it any other way.



1 John 3:18

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." We should start focusing on showing our love to others as we say what we feel





© Copyright 2006 C.Lauren Lawler (UN: leowriters at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.

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