True Meaning of Christmas

I can't believe it's already been a week since Thanksgiving. I have been slowly starting to pull Christmas decorations out but am having a hard time motivating myself to finish. My feeling for Christmas is changing as I get older. I love giving presents to my grand kids and  now that we have seventeen it has gotten a lot harder. I don't have the stamina I used to have when shopping at the mall and I seem to have to pace myself with how much walking I can do. Today Mindi and I went to a couple of stores at the Mall. Trulie was hungry so we went out into the mall to get her a pretzel, that was the closest food source. Anyway, as I was sitting there I saw an older man enjoying a pretzel by himself. I felt inspired to talk to him so I said "hi" and started a little conversation with him. He was using a walker to get around so I asked him what had happened, having had  a hip replacement and remembering how hard it was to get around with one. He was in his eighties and was wearing a blue hat that I think is one worn by someone who was in the military. As I continued with my conversation I learned that he had just gotten out of the hospital a while back after suffering a heart attack. His wife is in an assisted living facility because he can't take care of her anymore. She has lung cancer and dementia. I told him about my Dad who at the time was at MD Anderson having his 7th round of chemotherapy and how worried I was about him. As we said our goodbyes I was so thankful I had listened to the spirit and got to know this man. He was such a cheerful person with lots of challenges. As we walked away I told Mindi that I felt he just needed someone to talk to. The holidays are so hard for so many people I feel ashamed sometimes that I have as many blessings as I do. The true meaning of Christmas isn't about the presents and the material things in life. For me it's how we make others feel the love we have for them and for the Savior.