I hate asking people for things. Seriously. I hate asking for help. I hate asking for more time. I hate asking, period. Really.
Why is it that I’m made that way? Why can’t I find it easier to reach out? I have some ideas, but it would probably take months of psychotherapy, and I ain’t got time for that. Hello, my name is Val, and I have a problem with asking.
But I needed to, so I did.
You see, I have a little project going on. I’m collecting names of people in need, and names of people that wish to help out, matching them up and letting the cheer of Christmas take over from there. It’s the third year that I’ve arranged this type of exchange, but this year I had a new problem: I had helpers, but no one in need.
I knew better, so I waited, and waited, and received more helpers and more helpers. So finally, I broke down and asked. And the response was OVERWHELMING!
I have so many great ideas, and I would love to implement every single one of them…and I might.
What is it about children and gifts? It just makes your heart warm up!
But asking is the only way I would have had the chance to put this all together. And now I have five days to get it all together, but I’m up to the challenge. And I have an extra spring in my step, and a purpose for shopping. I seriously don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight. I am stoked.
Perhaps I should have asked a little sooner?
Wag'n Tales 
Amen and thank you! If you need another gift for a child, I am willing and ready to send you something.
Thank goodness you asked, sooner or not, Val! And maybe we all need a 12-step program for something.
We live in Virginia Beach, and it is a military town. If you don’t like jet noise, you won’t like VaBeach. Each Christmas, we try to help out an enlisted Navy family, and last year we helped a family that had been booted off base housing due to a mold problem. Finding civilian housing had soaked up all their Christmas money for first and last month’s rent, utilities deposits, phone installation, etc. and they were going to have a bleak time for their two boys. Our two sons, our daughter-in-law and ourselves decided we would not buy each other stuff we don’t want or need and we would do something for this family and another family with 10 children. We gave each family a $400 gift certificate to the commissary and individual gifts for each child.
Not all is so smooth, though. Our DIL, we’ll call her Amy, decided she would organize something similar at work. Her fellow nurse, Jen, who is a little bitty thing, helped her stack a bunch of gift-wrapped boxes near the driveway ready to load in the car of the lady who had asked for it. When she drove up, Jen looked up and said to Amy in wonder, “Is that a Lexus?” The woman had her hair did with extensions, had her nails did with moons and stars, nice clothes and then they knew they had been ripped off. Apparently entitled.
We are doing it again this year. Keep the faith and keep it moving.
This is a fantastic idea! I too don’t like asking for help, I would much rather do everything myself, all the time! If you need another gift for your project I’d be happy to help and also to help spread the word. I can’t do much in monetary value (hello, unemployment) but would love to help if possible!