True Christmas Story: Money is NOT Everything

Below is a true story about Christmas. We, China Sources Team, would like o share this special story with you before special Christmas time of this year. Here is how the story starts:

It was Christmas Eve. As usual, I was working overtime in my office that evening. We had plenty of work to do in the office at this time of the year. The boss had asked us to work overtime 'for him and for everybody' in the office. We were not paid for working overtime, but thinking of special bonus he would give us on Chinese New Year Eve, I went on typing with new enthusiasm. Everyone in my office said that I was hard-working. Perhaps they were right. I worked hard because I had to provide full financial support for my family. I wanted to provide my son enough money with all he needed. I did not want my only son to grow up in poverty as I did in my youth time. I did not want to see my boy become a petty clerk like myself. I wanted to see him become a doctor, or an engineer, or an architect, or a member of any prestigious profession. The thought that my son was a rather smart and promising boy made me type even faster.

I must have typed for quite some time, for the words on the sheet of paper to be typewritten had now become blurred. So I closed my eyes to take a rest. When I opened my eyes, I saw dimly that everyone in the office was working quietly in their seats. Instinctively, I straightened myself up and then lowered my head. It was just at the moment that I caught sight of my family photo under a glass on my desk. On this photo my wife, my son and I were walking hand in hand in a garden. This photo must have been taken five or six years ago during Christmas Eve. My son was lively and cheerful child then, my wife and I looked much younger too. Just at that moment I heard footsteps of my boss coming in my direction, and almost at once my fingers worked automatically on my computer keyboard.

It was particularly cold that evening and my fingers were becoming stiff. Looking out of the window, I could see bright Christmas neon-light decorations of the city. My son must be having a good time in this Christmas Eve. 'The pay I received will be enough for a big Christmas present for him', I thought.

My telephone rang suddenly, shattering the peaceful atmosphere. I picked up the receiver.

'Hello, may I speak to Mr. Longman?'

'Speaking'

'Listen carefully, Mr. Longman, Your son, Chris, was seriously injured in a car accident this evening. He is receiving emergency treatment in XXX hospital'

'Pardon! How is he now?

'We do not know yet'

'I am coming right away now'

The whole earth seemed to stop revolving. 'Chris must be lying on the operation table moaning, groaning and suffering intolerable pain', I thought.

In a minute, I was in a taxi heading for the XXX hospital. But the traffic was terribly congested. I was getting very irritated. I felt hopeless.

'Hurry up, will you? Please. My son is dying', I sobbed.

The traffic was really congested. With no alternative, I walked for the rest of the distance. The streets were crowded with cheerful people for Christmas Eve. I frequently and unavoidably kicked the heels of many people in front of me. I could not help cursing them, as they seemed to hinder me deliberately, although some of them did say Merry Christmas to me.

At last, I arrived at the XXX hospital in a daze, numbed by worry and grief. A man at the door stopped me.

'Our hospital is closed down for general cases. Come again tomorrow, and Merry Christmas', he said.

I took no notice of him and went straight towards the operation theatre. My wife was there, I could see tears rolling down her pale face.

The doctor appeared. We were slightly relieved when the doctor told us that the operation had been successful and that our son could survive the injury. Yet I could discover a mysterious trace of sadness on the face of the doctor. Without uttering a word, he led us to our son.

As the door opened, I felt myself drawn into a whitewashed cell with a strong smell of medicine. My once strong and robust son was lying on a bed, his face as pale as the sheets surrounding him. My wife walked towards him slowly and then rapidly.

Under dim light, she stretched her hands lovingly to adjust pyjamas of our boy. Then I noticed that a hand of the doctor was on my shoulder. He said in a low and sympathetic voice, 'There comes a time when one has to face the reality.'

Suddenly, my wife dashed out of the room screaming hysterically. My immediate reaction was to see my son. He must have died. I rushed to his bed and looked at him. He was all right! But then I noticed something. Tears flooded my eyes and rolled down my face. Oh, God, this could not have happened to him! What had he done? Desperately I turned to the doctor and muttered, 'Where are his arms?'

We, China Sources Team, share this story before Christmas time and want to remind you not to just focus on your job, especially during holiday seasons. Money is important for your family but it is definitely not everything. Do not expect that you will always enjoy good life after you earn enough money. There is no guarantee. Working hard is not bad, but do remember to enjoy valuable Christmas holiday with your family before it is too late.

Remark: We, China Sources Team, just find this story in an old file. Although we really want to cite the source of this special Christmas story, we have no idea about the actual source. So if you have any idea about the real source, please do contact us to let us know. Thank you. Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all!