PSA

There’s something about this time of year, something magical that happens. I’m not talking about getting exactly what you wanted from Santa either. Something’s in the air and it is kind, thoughtful, giving, caring and compassionate. It compels us to reach out to those in need and comfort them. It talks us into taking back that stray shopping cart, left in the middle of the lot, the one we didn’t leave there. We give spare change to the guy on the corner with his cardboard sign more freely and we are less apt to judge how he got there. We shovel our neighbor’s driveways and everybody’s helping everybody. Yes, there’s something about the holidays that brings the best out in us.

Maybe it’s the lights or the Christmas trees or the secret Santa gifts (probably NOT the fruitcake), but everyone seems to be getting along and for an entire month and everyone suddenly remembers how to use their turn signals. It truly is a wondrous thing to behold, this everyone going out of their way to be kind to one another thing! But with it comes the question of why we aren’t like this all year round? We’ve all seen it. Come January, the gyms will be packed with new year’s resolutionists and the world goes back to the way it was before the season made us think about others. We go back to the grind and our old, less thoughtful selves. Why?

We challenge you to continue your random acts of kindness and pay it forward attitude, even after the Christmas tree comes down. Make it a point to do one selfless or kind act each day. Maybe don’t just walk by that shopping cart on January 1^st. Check in on an elderly neighbor. Call yo

ur out of state family. Bake cookies and brownies and give them anonymously to a family that could use the cheer. Donate clothing or your time to a shelter. Bring in your neighbor’s garbage cans. It doesn’t have to anything earth-shattering, just a gesture from the heart.

The spirit of the holidays should reside within us all year long, not just a few weeks. Who knows? It might even stick and become something you do regularly without even having to think about it. It’ll just be a part of you. Wouldn’t it be some awesome place if everybody did this? JP’s Collision Center would like to wish you and yours a wonderful and safe holiday season. Pay it forward and focus on the true meaning behind this time of year!

If you would like to donate to our clothing drive, we are still accepting items over the next week. Just bring it down to the shop and we will collect and distribute those items the week of Christmas.