I'll give you all a little background information on Reno and I. Some of this you may know - some of it you may not.
Reno and I met in college. I was a bit of a wild child, and Reno settled me down. My daily drunken adventures trickled down to sporadic nights out, and within months we moved in together. Crazy in love, we found ourselves expecting our first child. Me - a college drop-out without the motivation to even keep working at A&W, and Reno - a full-time student just trying to find his educational direction.
No money. No jobs. Young, naive and VERY immature, we had no idea what the future held for us.
After the shock of a pregnancy wore off, we worked hard to get our lives together. I worked at a gas station as a cashier, and Reno stocked shelves at Canadian Tire. We worked and saved through the summer, while taking up residence in my parent's basement. Meagre wages meant lots of hours with very little pay, but we didn't seem to mind. You do what you have to do.
Fast forward a couple of months, and Reno returned to school. We found a cheap 2 bedroom apartment for $425/month in Vermilion - a very short walk to the school. Reno worked when he wasn't in school, taking care of two boys with special needs in a group home. We continued to live there as we raised our first two children, Aurora and Denali, and Reno went to school. We raised our family on less than $1200/month.
We planned our meals carefully. We bought everything no name. We shopped only at Extra Foods, and only when they had the family discount days. We didn't drive unless we absolutely needed to. Our car was an old Buick that we needed to put a brick on the pedal to keep going while it warmed up.
When we moved to Lloydminster, things intensified as the cost of living went up. Reno kept going to school, and I took a job at a pet store. My wonderful brother took pity on me and gave me his old Ford Escort. I'll never forget how it felt the day he handed those keys over to us. The car may have seemed old and past its time to them, but to me, it felt brand spanking new.
The first year we were in Lloyd, we were offered a low income Christmas basket. I wasn't sure what to expect, but we really did need it, so we graciously accepted. A couple of days before Christmas, a basket was dropped on our front step.
Contained in the basket was:
1 Small frozen chicken.
1 Can of corn niblets
1 Can of cranberry sauce
1 Box of stuffing
1 Box of mashed potatoes
2 Age appropriate toys
The gesture was so small, yet had such significance. This was Christmas in a basket. The smile on the face of the volunteers as they distributed these baskets made the heart warm. They beamed from ear to ear. They didn't care that it was freezing cold and the only thing they got in return was a smile and a thank-you. When you've been there, you never forget how it feels.
I'm not sure at what point it became ok to spend our money on things like TV's, video game consoles, houses or new cars. Somehow we began to think beyond our needs to our wants. Somehow our wants became our needs, and it became difficult to separate the two. We found ourselves planning what to do with year end bonuses and potential raises - spending money before it's even in our hands on stuff our heart desires.
The truth is we don't need a new and bigger TV. We don't need a louder and better sound system. We don't need new clothes or jewelry... games or toys. Christmas is an expensive time of year - if you make it that way. It doesn't have to be about the number of presents under the tree or the size of the box.
There are people in our own communities who don't have a roof over their heads, a penny in their pockets, or food to eat. Organizations like the food bank and crisis shelters are all these people have.
This year, the Therrien Family is digging deep into our pockets to help, rather than spending it on ourselves. We were the recipients of acts of kindness from many people for a lot of years. Now it's time to pay it back.
I encourage you all to give a little this Christmas - be it money or time. If you have either to spare, then lend it. You'll be amazed what you get in return :)
Thank you to all those who helped us along the way - we couldn't have done it without you.
Sincerely,
The Therrien Family
