Why do I say this?
Well, at the time of my revelation, I had three times slammed on my brakes to avoid a crash. Once when a guy in a truck decided he didn’t want to wait on his turn to make a turn across my lane of traffic; once when someone was determined to beat me to a parking space (ironically, I wasn’t even trying to park), and a third time when a whole line of traffic decided to ignore its red light, driving right on through an intersection when I and those around me had the green light.
Why else do I believe the holiday season brings out the worst in people?
Talk to any police official and they will tell you, burglaries increase this time of year, simply because people have more stuff readily available for stealing. So, those who would be grinches take this opportunity to take from others.
And if all of that’s not enough, take the case of a community center in the small community of Sampson. There the local Toys for Tots campaign was using the center to store Christmas presents for needy children.
Some Scrooge stole everything — all of the toys and games that had been set aside for more than 200 kids, in addition to the center’s flat-screen television, computers, printer and other assorted materials.
Who could do something like that?
Then I thought a little more, and though I stand by my statement that Christmas often brings out the worst in humanity, it also brings out the absolute best in people.
Locally, with unemployment running in double digits and fewer people able to give to charities, others have stepped up. Volunteers have spent hundreds of hours collecting money for the Salvation Army to be used to meet the needs of families in the area; local law enforcement officials have spent their time (and in some cases money) providing a good Christmas for hundreds of area children; and countless other church and family groups have done the same, away from the public eye.
Motorists? Let me tell you about those folks. A couple of days ago my wife’s van became stuck on some ice and snow on a steep hillside. I got there within a few minutes and began shoveling away at the ice, knowing that given a little time and work, I would get the van out.
A minute later some guy pulls over in this truck and simply said “Got another shovel?”
I did, and he stayed there, working with me, until we freed the van, then he climbed in his truck and drove away, scarcely giving me time to say thanks.
And then there’s the case in Sampson.
Some of you might recall the name Willie Parker. He grew up in Sampson, played football at the University of North Carolina, then went on to the NFL, where he’s starred for the Pittsburgh Steelers, breaking several records and earning two Super Bowl rings.
Parker heard about what happened at the Sampson Community Center. Rather than organize some sort of benefit, or help raise money, he quietly contacted the center’s director and replaced, at his expense, all the Christmas stuff which had been stolen. His generosity made a happy Christmas for 250 kids there in his home community.
And he did it without any fanfare. I wouldn’t be writing about this today had not the center’s director decided to tell the local newspaper, The Sampson Independent, what Parker had done.
So, yes, Christmas can bring out the worst in people, and if you focus on that you can really lose the spirit of the season.
Then again, there are too many stories like that of Parker and local holiday donors and helpful motorists to dwell on the negatives.
Even though Christmas is behind us for this year, may the best of the holiday spirit stay with us for a long time to come.
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