Getting or giving presents is all well and good but, but not the true joy of Christmas

There is something about the holidays that brings out the reflective side of me. On one hand, I relish the fact that I often get to spend time with my family, which is strewn across the nation, and then on the other hand I inexplicably feel a tinge of sadness. What is there to be sad about, you ask? I guess it is for the many who have little or nothing.

I have never been a wealthy man by any means but I am wealthy in a whole different way.

I had great parents who instilled in me a will to help those in need that is something I try to do each and every day. It could be an act as simple as helping an elderly woman carry her groceries to her car, or buying a cup of coffee for someone who doesn’t have enough change to buy it themselves. It’s all about awareness of your surroundings in the here and now.

Besides my parents, nature also taught me to be aware of the moment.

Whether I am out fishing, hunting or simply taking a walk, I find myself scanning my surroundings all the time. Many of the most memorable things I have witnessed in nature happened in the blink of an eye. Two bald eagles wrapped in a ball falling from the sky, a blue marlin appearing out of nowhere to take a bait, a lightning bolt striking from the ground up — each of these events witnessed only because I was practiced in the art of seeing. There stands my wealth.

So that you know, these thoughts have been brought on by recent events that have greatly affected me.

Hilton Head Island charter boat captain Michael Perry’s horrific accident while deer hunting and, closer to home, my Bluffton neighbor Neil Lax, now in Memorial hospital in Savannah.

I am sure most of you know of Michael’s accident but when I made it to his fundraiser at Hudson’s restaurant last Sunday, I was truly humbled by the number of people who attended the event and gave so generously. It gave me hope in these divisive times to see so much caring.

As for my neighbor Neil Lax, whether you know him or know of him, he is most definitely one of the few remaining Bluffton eccentrics. Maybe you attended one of his famous street parties and oyster roasts held on Oyster Street every year right after the Bluffton Christmas parade. He is not wealthy in the normal sense of the word but with that low, gravelly voice, blue overalls and Santa-like appearance, he sure as heck could command a crowd’s attention. It reminds me that every moment is precious and every second a gift.

Before I sat down to write this column, I talked to my wife, Karen, telling her I was not sure this would be the right subject matter for an outdoors writer. In response, she told me that if it is what your heart tells you to write, then do it.

She brought up how so many people wish for what others have. A perfect example happened a while back when a woman came to her former place of employment, Memory Matters. Dressed to the nines, adorned with priceless jewels and driving a very expensive car, it was easy to think, “I wish I had what she has.” In reality, that woman had just lost her husband of over 40 years to Alzheimer’s. Be careful of what you wish for.

There is wealth to be had every second of every day. But the wealth I am talking about is right in front of you if you choose to see it.

Maybe you are not a fisherman or an avid outdoorsman but it is still there should you choose to look around. Nature puts on incredible shows 24/7, but if that isn’t your cup of tea, then preforming a random act of kindness is there for the giving every moment of every day.

Though I have never had huge sums of money to fall back on, I do know this. The feeling you get from helping others is the greatest feeling there is. Given the choice between having all the wealth I could possibly want or truly making a positive difference in someone else’s life, I’ll take the latter every time.

Alone this Christmas since my wife is visiting her folks in Texas, I think I will go over to Savannah and try to perk up Neil on Christmas morning. My wife and I have been taking care of Neil for some time now, and because his needs have become so immense, other neighbors like Lisa Carrol, Mia Hughley and others have joined the cause by soliciting skilled nursing, buying groceries and a host of other needs.

Like Michael Perry’s “Go Fund Me” web page, we have done the same for Neil Lax. Getting or giving presents is all well and good but the joy you receive can’t come close to the bliss of helping those in need.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who have called or e-mailed me over the past year encouraging me with your kind words about something I may have written that touched you in some way. You have no idea how these kind words make me feel.

Have a great holiday and remember that “true wealth” is there for the taking if you simply choose to see.

This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 9:19 AM.