It was late December many years ago. I had saved money for several months so my children could have some nice things for Christmas. Just as I was starting to shop, though, something caught my eye. It was an “Angel Tree.” It was put there by a local charity so children whose parents couldn’t afford toys could get some. On the plastic Christmas tree hung paper angels with a child’s name and the toy they wanted. People would purchase them and then the charity would wrap them and make sure the kids got them on Christmas Day. Only a couple were left, both with boy’s names on them. On one was written, “Football” and on the other “Basketball”.

As I looked at them the child still inside of me remembered my own childhood. I didn’t have very many toys but the two I loved the most where my football and basketball. Even when I was alone I would play with them. I would shoot hoops at the makeshift rim in our driveway and toss the football in the air and catch it, playing whole pretend games in my mind. The memories filled my heart with happiness and in that moment I made my decision.

I grabbed both angels and quickly bought the football and basketball before even purchasing my children’s toys. For a moment I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough money for them all but the angels were smiling down on me and I had just enough for everything. As I dropped the toys in the donation box I felt a joy in my heart. It was the pure happiness that comes from sharing Love with someone you don’t even know.

Anthony de Mello once wrote: “Love heals everyone-both those who receive it and those who give it.” Take every chance you can then to share your own Love at Christmastime and each day of the year. It will not only heal your heart but fill it with joy. It will not only bring a smile to the face of those who receive it, but also to God and all the angels watching over us.