Re: Does anyone remember -- The Chimneyville Discussion Forum

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Date Posted: 06:14:00 12/10/02 Tue
Author: Pot
Subject: Re: Does anyone remember
In reply to: Marv 's message, "Does anyone remember" on 16:34:59 12/09/02 Mon

>> > > When this kind of thing happened?? I Remember
>it well, and it was good. Marv
> >>Reviving an Old Southern Custom
>By Jeff Adams
>Published 12. 6. 02 at 20:20 Sierra Time
>
>When I was a little boy and our family would visit my
>father's parents in Mississippi for Christmas, we were
>introduced to what was described to us as an old
>Southern custom. However, this custom seems to have
>fallen out of fashion today. The town of Macon, MS is
>probably no larger than it was when my father was
>growing up there, and I would have to say it wasn't
>exactly a town that was booming economically. It
>was/is very rural, made up mostly of farmers and a few
>business men running things of basic necessity such as
>gas stations, a bank, a few clothing and grocery
>stores, and the like. This sleepy Southern town hasn't
>changed in probably 70 years.
>The custom we were introduced to in this little town
>was one based on Christian charity and general
>community bonds where those better off did a simple
>act of kindness for others less fortunate. Around
>Christmas time, often on Christmas Eve, those with
>plenty would quietly take presents to the needy
>families in the area. I remember one of my brothers
>went one time with my grandfather to leave some
>presents with a poor black family. My brother was
>somewhere around 10 or 12 years old. It was late at
>night, and my grandfather went quietly to the doorstep
>and set the presents down. My brother wanted to knock
>on the door, but my grandfather stopped him and
>directed him back to the car.
>
>Once in the car, my brother wanted to know why they
>didn't let the folks know the gifts were there. Our
>grandfather simply said that they would find the
>presents in the morning when they got up. In protest,
>my brother said, "But they won't know who gave them
>the gifts." My grandfather's response was, "They
>aren't suppose to know. To tell them would take away
>from the selfless act of anonymous giving. I'm not
>looking for a 'thank you,' I'm simply doing a
>Christian deed and giving to the less fortunate." This
>old custom of giving anonymously was traditionally
>carried out by white Southerners, who took gifts to
>poor black Southerners. The giving of gifts from the
>better off whites to the poor blacks was the norm, but
>was not the case exclusively.
>
>I want to point out here that my grandfather was not a
>Progressive, in the liberal sense. He was most
>definitely "Old South" in all his views. Most people
>today would quickly label him a racist if they knew
>his views of minorities. But that would be an overly
>simplistic and uninformed assessment of traditional
>Southern culture and views. At his foundation, my
>grandfather was a Christian who recognized the
>humanity of everyone, and knew that every person had
>an immortal soul that needed tending. His desire to
>give unselfishly to the less fortunate during the
>holiday season was a sincere act which he did not see
>as being in contradiction to his general view of
>blacks as being "properly" situated in a lower station
>in society than most whites (not including those
>grandpa called "white trash," whom he considered to be
>a group less deserving of respect than the poorest of
>black folks). It is one of the oddities of the South,
>that outsiders and reconstructed Southerners can't
>seem to grasp, that Southerners can be kind and
>charitable, yet hold views that appear to contradict
>their Christian roots. I guess it is part of the
>flawed state all mankind lives in.
>
>This old Southern custom of giving anonymously is a
>custom that is worthy of reviving. Yes, there are
>churches and various charities that handle reaching
>out to the needy, but that takes away from the
>personal aspect of giving that we can do as
>individuals. Individuals are too removed from the act
>of giving, and therefore don't seem to fully
>appreciate a truly selfless act of giving. In
>addition, in this day and age, I don't think the
>custom should remain limited to the concept of
>prosperous whites giving to needy minorities. Several
>surveys in the last few years show that 50% of
>American blacks live at the middle class level or
>above. This custom should be what it was really about
>back then: those who have, giving to those who have
>not. In our society today the color of one's skin
>shouldn't be a determining factor in who is the giver
>of gifts and who is the recipient.
>
>Ultimately, the idea should be that the individual
>makes a personal sacrifice and give to someone in need
>this holiday season. And it should be done quietly and
>anonymously. We shouldn't look for praise for an act
>of kindness. Remember, the idea is to give freely
>without an expectation of a reward in this life, as we
>should be "storing up treasures in heaven." It is my
>sincere wish this Christmas season that everyone who
>reads this will take to heart the concept of anonymous
>giving. If you know of a family in need, then quietly
>prepare some packages you can leave on their doorstep
>without fanfare. If you need help in determining who
>is in real need, I suggest you go to your church and
>inquire there, as our churches are always on the
>lookout for needy families especially during this time
>of year.
>
>May you all have a wonderful holiday season, and
>discover one of the real joys of this time of year in
>giving selflessly and anonymously to someone in need.
>At its roots, this is a Southern thing to do, but it
>is also an American thing to do
>
>
>
>
>
>
>© 2002 SierraTimes.com (unless otherwise

Sho does recomember that stuff. BTW, Macon, Ms is getting up-town. There's a stop sign and a big manufacturing plant or two there now. Still not a big town though. Oh, did I mention they just got a Kentucky Fried Chicken joint?

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