Fundraising by Mariagrazia Bonacina

L'è sà Nedàl.

And they say that at Christmas we are all better. Maybe it's because Santa Claus is watching us and we long for him to bring us a present, maybe it's because the coloured lights and decorations fill our eyes and our heads and make us a little dizzy. It may be that we don't want friends and family to label us Grinches.

But the only truth is that we are selfish: how hard is it for us to give up something superfluous and useless like a breakfast at the bar, an aperitif or a dinner? Why do we absolutely have to have the latest fashion sweater, the heeled shoe to show off two minutes (before dying of footache and forgetting it in the maze of the closet)? Why do we tend to focus on material goods that don't really make us happy?

(I don't want to get all self-righteous on you, that's not me).

But I'll tell you what I'm going to do this Christmas: the kids at the Pope John XXIII Community where I was in Fatima need a new van, theirs left them stranded.

They've started a fundraiser, hoping to be able to afford a new one. I want to get on the front line and try to make my contribution. It doesn't matter how big it is, butunity and sharing are great weapons. Let's not forget that!

If we lose two minutes of our time to make a small contribution, if we try to give up just one small and insignificant superfluous thing that we will forget even before passing the card on the Pos, if we think of how much we could do for them with so little....

The beauty of GIVING, without wanting to receive anything in return. It is the abc of Love, it is the abc of Christmas.