Like most of you, I remember asking my parents for something like a toy or some other item of desire.  If the request was made in mid to late November or sometime in December, the response I received was, “Maybe Santa will bring it to you for Christmas.”

Or, as an alleged adult, when I’m drooling over a new computer or home theater type contraption, my wife will tell me, “Maybe Santa . . .”.  

We used this same trick on our daughter and, as loving parents, we quickly learned that not all things asked for were always ardently desired.  The toy or item requested was sometime just an impulse desire or passing fancy.  We learned that, if she REALLY wanted something, we heard about it more than once or twice.

I think that society is somewhat the same way – not only in our wants but in the area of our compassion towards others. Around this time of year, we get hammered into a temporary sense of concern for our fellow man by the commercials from various charities and they’re mostly all sincere and legitimate.  The commercials and the charities they advertise, that is.  However, I have to wonder if there’s a tad bit of insincerity in our compassion for, and concern about, others.

In my piece, Try A Little Kindness, I mentioned that my goal was to be on the lookout all year long for opportunities to help those in need.  Many of you have indicated that you feel the same way.  We quickly see that there’s no loss of opportunities in that area. 

I’d like to offer up another group of people that need attention:  our warriors in uniform and their families.  These men and women are serving our country all over the world and in the battlefield, literally not knowing if their next breath will be their last.  Not only are they alert to the constant presence of danger, they’re lonely and worrying about their family and friends back home. 

They’re families are home, left with the same loneliness and faced with handling all the issues and responsibilities that their deployed loved ones would normally handle.  It’s tough on all concerned.  Very tough. 

Well, there are ways you can help these people.  There are many charities that collect gifts and donations for the soldiers and still other charities that focus on their families.  A couple of related charities come to mind such as Operation Homefront, the Wounded Warrior Project and The Freedom Alliance.  Check out these and other such charities and, when you’ve found one that you’re comfortable with, make a donation of a gift of some sort.  And not just at Christmas.  Remember these phenomenal people year round because there needs are right there with them every day of the year.

Someday at Christmas we'll see a Man
No hungry children, no empty hand
One happy morning people will share
Our world where people care