Over the last several months I’ve noticed that the news is filled with stories of people down on their luck due to the economy. They’re losing their jobs, losing their homes, losing their retirements, on and on. There isn’t any good news anywhere I look, and to be perfectly honest it is overwhelming to think we live in a time where failure is the word of the day, the week, the month, the year. Bad news everywhere, happening to everyone, no one is spared. But in the midst of it all there was one bright shining light that popped through the darkness and lit up my horizon. This light that shines so brightly is the light of love, and it originates in an eight year old girl from Sparta, Illinois named Shawna Smith. Some of you may have heard of Shawna’s 8th birthday bowling party at the Steeleville American Legion, but for those of you who haven’t what makes her story and this party unusual is that she asked that all who attend forgo a gift for her and instead bring an item to donate to the animals at the Randolph County Humane Society. According to the story that ran in the Randolph County Herald Tribune and my conversation with Shawna’s mother Shelley Smith, she took Shawna to the shelter to see the animals one day when they were at the ballpark by the fairgrounds. “We went over to the humane society and after seeing the animals I explained to Shawna how the animals got their food and other items through donations. She spoke right up and said, ‘Mom I want to donate to the shelter’. She came up with the idea of having people who came to her birthday party bring items for the animals and not for her,” said Shelley. Shelly called the shelter ahead of time to ask what kind of items were needed, and on the day of the birthday party Shawna got her wish and everyone that attended brought a variety of items for the shelter including: cat litter, food, toys, and dog treats, food and toys. Although it’s been a lot of years since I turned eight years old I can still remember back to the days of my childhood, and my life revolved around two days of the year; Christmas and my birthday. I spent every waking moment thinking and planning for what presents I would ask for that would make my world complete. My friends and I would pour over the catalogs, dreaming of the gifts that would be waiting for us and what surprises those boxes would hold. I don’t think I was an exceptionally selfish child but instead just a normal kid. And I remember the anticipation of those two days like it happened to me yesterday. You have to take yourself back to that mindset to truly appreciate the depth of Shawna’s generosity in asking people to help the animals rather than give her gifts on her special day, the one day of the year when you get to be queen (or king) for the entire day from the time your feet first hit the floor until the moment you close your eyes to sleep and dream of the next time it would be your day. Every other day of the year you do for everyone else but your birthday is the giant “ME” day of the year, and it’s okay because we all deserve one really good day. Although I have never met Shawna she is my personal hero and I think about her unselfish deed often. The next time you think you have nothing left to give to help the least of them among us, the animals, I hope you will remember Shawna, the little girl that gave up all her presents to benefit of the animals that have no one to love them, no one to cherish them, no one to give them their very own forever home. Shawna Smith is an example of what we can do if we choose, if we are willing to forgo “me” for the benefit others, to be the light of love that shines so brightly it pierces through the darkness that envelops us. That little girl has given us all some big shoes to fill but if we step up maybe someday we too can have the generosity of spirit that Shawna already exhibits at her young age. And never forget, through the Shawna Smith’s of the world the Randolph County Humane Society is able to continue to save lives, one by one.
And a child will show us the way
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