We are all the little drummer boy

As we near the end of the calendar year, many of us will get into the spirit of the season giving more to charity and volunteering our time at community turkey dinners. It is the best time of the year.

Then the new year arrives and the spirit of the season leaves us as quickly as it came. But why can’t we continue these acts of generosity all year long? Americans are a busy people. We spend too much time at work and not enough time doing what we remember to do during the holidays.

You know the story of the little drummer boy. It’s not in the biblical telling of the Nativity, yet the simplicity of the song has us humming it each December.

Recruited by the magi to bring a gift to baby Jesus, the little drummer boy finds himself humbled. Poor and without any seemingly special offering, the boy proclaims that he has “no gift to bring”. He asks to play his drum, to honor Him. Mary gives him the OK, and he begins to play.

Do you see what I see in this well-known carol? There’s a little drummer boy in all of us. Our gifts to each other need not be fit for a king. The story of the drummer boy is about humility and about accepting ourselves for what we have to bring. The best gifts are the ones that come from intention, not from riches. From the grandeur of modesty, not from the extravagance of the dollar.

During this time of the year, we feel compelled to do our best for others. Although we may feel small and with little talent, our offerings can be impactful to those in our community.

Consider giving your time this season to one of our many local charities. The local soup kitchen provides food and services to those most in need. The Salvation Army runs a food bank and education programs on healthy eating. The church you attend likely supports programs benefiting the poor or incarcerated.

When was the last time you wrote a letter? A real letter, with cursive words inside a stamped envelope you licked and sealed yourself. I recently found out about a program where your words of encouragement can bring a smile to someone across the country. You can learn about it at moreloveletters.com and if you feel compelled, grab some stationary and a pencil to let someone know that despite his or her worries or troubles, someone is thinking about a stranger in need this holiday season.

If a simple pa rum pum pum pum is good enough for an infant king, surely what you have to give can be enough to make someone smile or even change a life.

There’s a little drummer boy in all of us. Play your song and let someone hear it.

Abe Villarreal writes about the traditions, people, and culture of America. He can be reached at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: We are all the little drummer boy