Picture by Josephine Wall

* * *

I see the Christmas shoppers
As they hurriedly walk on by
Most won't glance my way
They cannot look me in the eye

They have lost the meaning of Christmas
Replaced by presents galore
But there is something on my list
That can't be brought from a store

A gift from the heart
Would be something I'd treasure
The gift of love is special
And is quite simply beyond measure

What will I do for Christmas
I hear you enquire
As the pigeons start circling
Above the church spire

I hope to get a free meal
Just like I did last year
The Salvos are my angels
They supply my Christmas cheer

For me there'll be no presents
But that is quite okay
Just a smile is all I ask
To help brighten up my day

* * *

"The most emotionally healthy people
in our society are able to put
themselves into other people's shoes,
know how someone else is feeling
and care about that.
This capacity extends beyond
sexual and family intimacy.
It creates a circle of genuine feeling
that can extend, eventually,
to all of humankind"