Day 269
We spent two hours today ringing at the Salvation Army Kettle Bell station. There were many folks out doing their last minute grocery shopping and they seemed to have the holiday spirit, as we collected over 300 dollars in the time that we were there.
It often seems with two boys so close in age (12 and almost 11) that everything is a competition. So why should collecting money for charity be any different. Well, actually I can think of quite a few reasons why it SHOULD be different, but in fact, it was not. My husband and younger son took the first hour shift and when we showed up to relieve them, they proudly announced they had collected $200 and three hugs (two for my son and one for my husband).
When my older son and I took over we began trying to keep track of the money as well, my son axiously glancing at the clock to see if we were keeping pace with his brother. Alas, we were not. In our hour we collected around $100 and absolutely no hugs. But I was proud that, by the end of the time, my son had stopped focusing on “winning” and was taking notice of the spirit and generousity of the people who took time to put money in the kettle and stopped to chat with us.
I'm sure there is a place somewhere that competing for kindness is a good thing. But I am grateful that we had a break, however small, in the competion.
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