My Mamaw never had much money. In fact, she and my Papaw lived most of their lives without any modern conveniences. But she loved to give. She gave out of what she had or she sacrificed even further, saving just enough to make a difference in our lives.
It’s interesting in a way to look back on all the gifts I’ve received over my lifetime. I can only name a few of the expensive ones. I can’t really remember any of those given out of obligation. But I can still see and savor the ones that came to me from the love of a pure heart.
It would have been easy for my Mamaw to explain to the family how she couldn’t afford Christmas gift giving. We would have all understood. And many times I’m sure we tried to convince her in advance not to get us anything. We all had plenty.
But it is the thought that counts.
She was thinking of us, she loved us; she wanted to give to us. So many times, “It’s the thought that counts” gets used as an excuse for why someone bought you a gift you didn’t want, didn’t need or couldn’t use. Sometimes it’s an excuse for not giving a gift at all . “Hey, sorry I didn’t get you anything but isn’t it the thought that counts?” Clearly not much thought goes into how a statement like that could make the other person feel.
But it wasn’t that way for my Mamaw. One of the last Christmas gifts she gave me before she died was a set of three little white horses wrapped up together in tissue paper. If you know me well, you know I love horses. If you know me really well, you know I once had a horse but had to give him up. Someone, somewhere, was willing to give up the three little horses because my Mamaw didn’t buy them at some nice expensive fancy store. She bought them at a yard sale. She didn’t have much money and they didn’t cost much. But as she stood there looking at those three little white horses she was thinking of me.
I see those little white horses every day of my life and you know what?
I always think of her.


Fadocia Annette Nole Hall
Christmas 2010



** Carrie Pauline Sumner of Lewisburg died on May 18, 2005 at 93 years old.**