Around June, I read a story about Colby Curtin, a 10-year-old with a rare form of cancer, who was staying alive for one thing – Disney-Pixar’s UP. Over the weekend while catching up with my friends, we were talking about it and I was quite surprised that all 7 of them have not read or heard about the story of Colby. Then again, it may not be a surprise, knowing how much more time I am spending online then them. Have you read about the story?

“From the minute Colby saw the previews to the Disney-Pixar movie UP, she was desperate to see it. Colby had been diagnosed with vascular cancer about three years ago, said her mother, Lisa Curtin, and at the beginning of this month it became apparent that she would die soon and was too ill to be moved to a theater to see the film,” according to a news report in Orange County Register.

A family friend started to make cold-call to Pixar and Disney to see if someone could help. She guessed a name and the automated telephone answering system transferred her to someone who could help her. The message was received by Pixar officials, who agreed to send someone to Colby’s house the next day with a copy of UP for a private screening.

Colby’s mother, said she had asked her daughter if she could hang on until the movie arrived.

“I’m ready (to die), but I’m going to wait for the movie,” she said her daughter replied.

The Pixar’s employee arrived with the DVD, stuffed animals of characters and other movie memorabilia.

According to Orange County Register, “Colby couldn’t see the screen because the pain kept her eyes closed so her mother gave her a play-by-play of the film. At the end of the film, the mother asked if her daughter enjoyed the movie and Colby nodded yes, Lisa Curtin said.”

Colby died with her mom and dad nearby later that evening.

It was a sad but yet very heartwarming true story that could have happened somewhere near you. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by all the negativities happening around us and bringing us down. It is story like this that set everything in the right track and renew our beliefs in the goodness in people. The strength of Colby Curtin had touched my heart and I hope it will touch yours too.

Disney-Pixar’s UP is one movie that both kids and adults can enjoy. There was a little girl about 3-4 years old sitting right in front of me during the movie and she was clapping and cheering throughout the movie; it truly thrilled me to see how happy she was.

There were subtle messages in the movie which I thought was pretty thought provoking. Sometimes in life, we may have to put a stop to our dreams temporary so that we can help others achieve their dreams. And eventually our own dreams too will come true.

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Special thanks to Becki from Harmony in Motion for passing me the Loyal Friend and Visitor Award.

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called “Smile.”

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reaction. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say, hello anyway … so, I thought, this would be a piece of cake, literally. Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonalds, one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch … an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible “dirty body smell” and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was “smiling”. His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, “Good day” as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue-eyed gentle man was his salvation. I held my tears … as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, “Coffee is all Miss” because that was all they could afford. To sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something, and they just wanted to be warm.Then I really felt it … the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me … judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, “Thank you.” I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, “I did not do this for you … God is here working through me to give you hope.” I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.

When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why God gave you to me honey … to give me hope.” We held hands for a moment and at that time we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given that we were able to give. That day showed me the pure Light of God’s sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it … then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?” I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we, as human beings and being part of God, share this need to heal people and be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonalds, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn … UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to Love People and Use Things - Not Love Things and Use People.

By MARIA SUDEKUM FISHER, Associated Press Writer
Sat Nov 18, 6:10 AM ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For 26 years, a man known only as Secret Santa has roamed the streets every December quietly giving people money. He started with $5 and $10 bills. As his fortune grew, so did the gifts. In recent years, Secret Santa has been handing out $100 bills, sometimes two or three at a time, to people in thrift stores, diners and parking lots. So far, he’s anonymously given out about $1.3 million. It’s been a long-held holiday mystery: Who is Secret Santa?

But now, weak from chemotherapy and armed with a desire to pass on his belief in random kindness, Secret Santa has decided it’s time to reveal his identity.

He is Larry Stewart, a 58-year-old businessman from the Kansas City suburb of Lee’s Summit, Mo., who made his millions in cable television and long-distance telephone service.

His holiday giving started in December 1979 when he was nursing his wounds at a drive-in restaurant after getting fired. It was the second year in a row he had been fired the week before Christmas.

“It was cold and this car hop didn’t have on a very big jacket, and I thought to myself, `I think I got it bad. She’s out there in this cold making nickels and dimes,’” he said.

He gave her $20 and told her to keep the change.

“And suddenly I saw her lips begin to tremble and tears begin to flow down her cheeks. She said, `Sir, you have no idea what this means to me.’”

Stewart went to the bank that day and took out $200, then drove around looking for people who could use a lift. That was his “Christmas present to himself.” He’s hit the streets each December since.

While Stewart has also given money to other community causes in Kansas City and his hometown of Bruce, Miss., he offers the simple gifts of cash because it’s something people don’t have to “beg for, get in line for, or apply for.”

That was a feeling he came to know in the early ’70s when he was living out of his yellow Datsun 510. Hungry and tired, Stewart mustered the nerve to approach a woman at a church and ask for help.

The woman told him the person who could help was gone for the day, and Stewart would have to come back the next day.

“As I turned around, I knew I would never do that again,” Stewart said.

Over the years, Stewart’s giving as Secret Santa grew. He started a Web site. He allowed the news media to tag along, mostly because he wanted to hear about the people who received the money. Reporters had to agree to guard his identity and not name his company, which he still does not want revealed.

His entourage grew over the years, and he began traveling with special elves. People like the late Negro Leagues icon Buck O’Neil, who handed out hugs while Stewart doled out $100s. NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus will join Stewart this year in Chicago when Stewart hands out $100s in honor of O’Neil, the first African-American coach in the Major Leagues.

They’ll give out $100,000 between Chicago and Kansas City. Four Secret Santas who Stewart “trained” will hand out an additional $65,000.

Doctors told Stewart in April that he had cancer of the esophagus and it had spread to his liver. He has been lucky, he says, to get into a clinical trial at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But the aggressive chemotherapy has stripped away his appetite and energy. He’s lost about 100 pounds, but has held onto his white hair.

The treatment costs more than $16,000 a month, not including the cost of traveling to Houston every two weeks and staying there for five or six days. He now has two months off, but returns to treatment in February.

His insurance company won’t cover the cost of the treatment, which has left him concerned about his finances and his family.

Now, his mission is bigger than handing out $100 bills. Stewart wants to speak to community groups about his devotion to kindness and to inspire others to donate their time and money.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Stewart says, “to help other people out.”

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