posted on Dec, 20 2006 @ 11:47 PM
I spent some time in a very busy mall tonight trying to get the last of my shopping done. I'd found a couple of gifts for a friend and stopped at the
gift wrapping tables to have them wrapped. The booth was set up by the CNIB, an organization in Canada that assists people with vision problems or no
eyesight at all.
The proceeds from the money they raise goes to the charity.
A young man at the table greeted me when I said hello and it was obvious that he was totally blind, but even so, he had a light in his eyes and a
smile on his face. He was about 13 or 14 years old and was working the booth with sighted volunteers that did the wrapping, but he asked my name and
put little ID tags on my two gifts and passed them to someone else to wrap.
The girl that did the wrapping did a wonderful job, complete with bows and ribbons and I walked away a happy shopper after paying my $5.00.
After I did some more shopping I came back to the booth an hour later to get them wrapped and the same young man greeted me, he even recognized my
voice when I said hello. He said they were backed up but someone could wrap them for me in a little while if I could wait.
I asked if he could do the wrapping himself because I really needed to get out of the mall and go home. At first he seemed hesitant and said he
didn't wrap, but with a little encouragement he took the gifts and said he'd do it for me.
He asked me what paper I wanted and I just told him to choose whatever he thought was best, and when he asked about ribbons and bows I just told him
the same.
Wrap it with whatever you like.
Sure he fumbled a bit, and the wrapping job wasn't perfect, but I won't change a thing.
He asked for the $5.00 when he was done and I handed him a $20.00, he felt the corner of the bill for the braille dots and said he'd get my change.
I just thanked him for the great wrapping job and said he could donate the change to the CNIB.
The look of pride and accomplishment I saw on his face was a gift that no amount of money could buy.
Merry Christmas everyone.......