Spreading Love In The Community: My Last Christmas On The Farm

After B passed away, I was lost. It was only weeks before Christmas and alone on the farm, I wasn’t looking forward to the festive season. Traditionally B and I would give to the local community, so with thinking cap on, I devised a plan that would spread love locally and pay homage to B’s memory.

The Plan For Christmas Day

I had to go through her things at the house. The monsters wanted B’s things straight away, so I had to pack them while grieving, and that gave birth to the plan.

B was one of the craftiest people I have known in the sense she could, and did, make anything with her hands. I was always in awe of her skills and never got sick of watching her craft.

We had so many woven jars, coasters and even beads she had threaded into amazing necklaces. It was these that were central to my plan.

I contacted the women who used to work on the farm with us to me at the basketball court (they all lived only steps away) with the local kids at 2pm. To add to the beads I bought toys, and bags and bags of lollies (candy) from town and put these in the Santa bags.

And for the women who helped who were close to my heart, the pieces of jewelry I had given B. Her daughter hated me, and I could only pass these sentimental pieces onto people who had made a huge impact on both of our lives. Not someone who abandoned us when she was desperately needed.

The Day Was Magical

I woke with a heavy heart on the day, missing B was a physical thing. Looking after our pets was one of the things that kept me going at the time, that urged me out of bed. I loaded the car and drove to the court to bring some joy to the area. The women were there already and a few kids, with more arriving every minute.

These women were so precious to me. They had looked after both of us when they worked at the farm, and through B getting sick, and ensured I was ok after she died. It was wonderful to see them there for one last community give away, this wasn’t our first and they happily helped out.

It didn’t take long to give everything away. Hundreds of kids with their parents arrived and we gave things away as quickly as we could. Many of these kids received nothing at home, it was a poor area where wages were seasonal around the rice fields. So there was excitement in the air with everything we were giving away.

It was a joyful thing helping to put smiles on these kids faces, it lifted my heart and I could hear B laughing her hearty laugh in my mind and I smiled. I took the women aside at the end when everything else was given away, and gave them the special memories of B .

They were surprised, and touched. There were smiles and hugs and loads of tears. They had loved her too. B had made her mark in the area as an older sister. Younger women would go to her for advice, and as a couple we helped as many people as we could while we lived there.

We couldn’t go to her funeral, so we created our own goodbye to a loving human being who we will never forget, at least I wont.

PEace OUT