Dear Secret Santa...

Dear Secret Santa,

It is no secret that I've been a bit in the dumps lately. I think you can tell by my posts. December wasn't easy. The reality of being so far away from family, friends and everything familiar finally sunk in. And then the frozen pipes. And the cold. And stress about bills and our debt. And, well, just everything. I fully surrendered to my bad mood. For a solid couple of weeks.

And then yesterday I got a letter that lifted my spirits. Big time. A letter that moved me and totally humbled me. This letter came from the power co-op on the island. It read in part:

Congratulations! You are the recipient of a $250 anonymous donation that has already been applied to your electric bill.

!!!!!!!!!

What an unexpected gift! You truly outdid yourself, Anonymous Donor/Secret Santa. Bob and I are so incredibly grateful for your act of generosity. We have no clue as to your actual identity, but we hope you read the blog so that you will see this thank you. We have no other way to thank you.  And we thank you humbly from the bottom of our hearts. We are so moved and want you to know how much a difference this makes for us.

Not only will your gift help us tremendously with our finances, but you've also lifted our spirits. You have shown us (as cheesy as this might sound) the true meaning of Christmas. Your gift is an inspiration to me. Really. It had me realize that spending so much time being sad that I'm away from my family only limits my scope. I miss what's here. I miss seeing opportunities to get outside of my own head and make a difference for others. Just as you have for me. Thank you for that. For reminding me that life isn't and should never be all about me. Especially during the holidays.

Merry Christmas!

With deep gratitude and warm holiday wishes,

Steph & Bob