Christmas of ‘86

Each Thanksgiving      
a Christmas Wish insert    
sponsored by the United Way    
accompanies our county's newspaper
  
It's an opportunity for local ‘Angels'      
to ease less-fortunate suffering      
     
Nothing out of the ordinary      
appeared from previous years—    
a meal, groceries, clothes, toys    
firewood, an affordable home    
help with utilities, a car      
and so forth      
     
until the request      
by an eight-year-old boy       
     
"A Bicycle Repair Kit"    
     
He wasn’t wishing    
for a brand new bicycle;      
but, a $2.00 repair kit      
to fix his old one’s flat      
     
I wasn’t sure      
what to think of that—      
was he appreciative      
for what he had;    
or, just taking care      
of what he owned—    
perhaps he was afraid      
to ask for more      
because he felt      
he hadn’t been good—    
maybe he'd been taught      
the quality of age;    
things aren't made      
like they were, after all      
     
I thought of Solomon    
who could've asked for anything    
his heart desired—    
but, wished only for wisdom      
to lead God's people instead;    
yet was gifted all things      
beyond his imagining      
because of humility    
     
Regardless, a new bike      
replete with repair kit      
is what this kid deserved—    
anonymously, of course;      
because Angels should remain just that:    
The Spirit of Christmas in disguise   
   miracles whose only name is Love—      
   proving the humble are worthy      
   of so much more      
   than imagined possible   
   or even wished for        
~