Special Delivery

Look out! Oh, no! Whoa!

The amount of holiday mail is unbelievable again this year. I’m Kim Dunworthy and I work for the Shady Pines post office. No kidding. We have our hands full – literally! Getting everything delivered on time is a real challenge. But we’re up to it.

Here’s the best part. Even though each one of these letters and packages is important, some of the best gifts are the little gestures that make a big difference. You can’t put a price on kindness. Let me show you what I mean. While I’m out making deliveries, I talk to our neighbors. This year, more than most, they’re counting their blessings.

More Than Headlines

Take Zulah Talmadge for example. Our hard working editor of The Shady Pines Gazette is out reporting everyday on how our town is coping during these uncertain times. When I delivered the mail to her office yesterday she told me about all the prople who have thanked her for doing such a good job. It really made her feel good. Isn’t that nice? She says she’s so grateful.

Get The Scoop

The same thing could be said for Scoop the Cub Reporter. That red headed teenager goes above and beyond the call of duty. I see him out in all sorts of weather reporting on everything. After a big storm, there he is telling us about power outtages and clean up efforts. Or, he’s down at Town Hall letting us know what the mayor has in mind for school closings and stuff like that. Why, I once saw him interviewing a group of folks who didn’t want the big oak tree on Main Street to be torn down. He’s says he’s so lucky to be a reporter. He feels it’s a privilege to make sure people feel their voices are being heard.

His Honor

Of course, the most influential voice in town is that of Mayor Beauregard P. Fibbs. He’s quite a character. I asked him the other day as I was dropping off a package what he likes about being mayor. He thought for a moment. Then he told me that serving others is a wonderful way to spend each day. He said it’s not the big speeches or the parades that matter. He feels good when he can do something to improve the life of a person or a family in need. He showed me the stack of Thank You letters he’s recieved. Why, Mayor Fibbs seemed downright emotional. But you know, after reading some of those letters, I can see why he gets choked up. He’s made a difference.

Centered Activities

Over at the Community Center I drop off a whole stack of mail for Rita Mallena. As the center’s director, she’s been switching up activities like crazy trying to make sure some are done in person and some are still on line. Teachers at nearby Shady Pines Elementary School have been helping when they can. In fact, Rita says she’s had so much help from an army of volunteers. By coordinating with the school she’s been able to keep kids entertained and engaged in ways she would never have thought up on her own. I think I saw tears in her eyes as she explained how grateful she is to everyone who has helped her this year.

What a Doggone Year

I know the Sanders family will have a thing or two to say. As I park in front of their home on Dogwood Drive across from Copy Cat Lane, I hear voices laughing out back. Harold and Edna are playing with their dog, Boomerang, while their cat, Halley’s Comet, sits on the outdoor table trying to ignore them. I hand them a fistful of envelopes and ask how they’re doing. Harold says he’s more grateful than ever for the things he used to taked for granted.

Friends and family take on new meaning during the holidays. Edna says she’s doubled her efforts this year volunteering with food drives and the ‘Give A Kid A Coat’ campaign. Mostly, Harold and Edna say, they have more tolerance and compassion knowing that so many people are dealing with challenges of one kind or another.  For more about the adventures of the Sanders family, check out Boomer and Halley Books

A Parting Thought

That’s the thing. We all may feel isolated at times; even depressed. I know I’ve had days when I thought, “will I get through this?” 2021 has been anothr tough year for a lot of folks. And, we don’t always know what other people are going through, do we? Here’s a video about being grateful from the sensational Emmy Award-winning vocal group Pentatonix called, THANK YOU.

So as I finish up my rounds today, I want to deliver this message that my mom told to me. Take time to cherish the people in your life. Time is precious. Count your blessings and be thankful for the good things you do have. Be kind, even when it’s hard. Give people the benefit of the doubt and hope they will do the same for you.

Oh, no, I’m running late.

Merry Christmas! See you soon!

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