By Staff
Leada DeVaney, Editor
There's a wonderful new trend going around called the Shoe Box Project. Basically, it entails filling a shoe box with toys for a needy child for Christmas. Many church and civic groups are participating this year.
Several folks around our office are taking part in the project and my mother is, too. She's doing the project in connection with her church and is busy at work filling her boxes for boys ages 5-7.
It was during a shopping trip to purchase toys and other goodies to put in her box that she discovered the true meaning of giving, at least in the eyes of my 3-year-old nephew, Collier.
He and his brother, Isaac, who's 6, went to the store with my mother last weekend. Mother said the first indication that something was wrong was when she turned around and Collier had his cheeks stuffed with something.
"Collier!" mother said. "What is in your mouth?"
"Jelly beans," he calmly replied, pointing to the large bins located within his reach.
"So of course I had to buy some but I wasn't sure how I was going to pay for those already in his stomach," mother later said.
Then, mom said they went to the toy department, something she already knew was going to be risky.
"They were fine picking out the 69 cent Hot Wheels for the needy children as long as they knew they got the $9.95 toy trucks," mother said. "Still, they did pretty good, at least until we got home. Well, except for the screaming about who got to ride in the buggy at the store and who had to walk. Well, and the battle about who was picking out the cereal. Other than those, they were really good."
Mom said once they had finished their shopping, they headed to the house and started assembling the shoe box presents.
"We put in the cars and the crayons and all the other things we had bought. We even talked about helping others and how important it was and how they were being good boys for helping the needy children," mother said.
Mother said she got up and went into the kitchen to start dinner, safe in the knowledge that the shoe box was in good hands.
It was then she noticed Collier wondering into the kitchen, his small cheeks stuffed with bubble gum.
"Collier!," mother said, "Where did you get that bubble gum?"
"From the shoe box," he replied.
"But that is for the needy little boy," mother answered.
"The needy little boy would want to share," Collier replied.
So there you have it – sharing in the mind of a 3-year-old. With Collier, charity is definitely a two-way street.