Holiday gifts: Listen to your inner voice

submitted by Kim Blumenstein, David's Coat Room 

In November 2018, I started David's Coat Room in honor of my Dad. The 25th anniversary of his passing was approaching and I believed starting the charity was a perfect way to honor him. I won't lie — the first year was difficult, but any doubt I had was erased by a chance encounter.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019, I was driving to an appointment. As I was waiting at the traffic light, I noticed a gentleman with a sign on the opposite corner. He did not look warm enough. I thought to myself that I needed to give him a coat. When the light turned green, I kept on my route, still thinking this yet determined to get to my appointment. However, the voice inside, the quiet voice that speaks truth, encouraged me to turn around and follow through on my original thought.

So, I made a left turn and went back. I parked and asked him if he needed a coat, he said sure. His sign said Homeless. I went back and grabbed a coat from the back of my van. It had just been donated the day before. He tried it on and it fit. I introduced myself and that is when he said his name was David.

This story, this event, is about listening to your voice. You know the one ... the one that speaks softly to your heart, to your soul. Usually, it is about love and ways to love others. It's the voice that suggests you pay for the person behind you in a drive thru, buy a meal for a homeless person, or give a student a ride home in the rain. This is also the voice that has you step up when someone is being treated poorly or when you see someone struggling with their groceries. The voice that whispers so quietly that if you have tuned it out, you won't hear it.

Be still and hear, listen to your voice, and lead with Love. We are all in this together, this world, this time.

David's Coat Room will have a coat rack on the porch of The Mill. If you need a coat, take one. If you have an extra coat, leave it hung up for someone else. We can be contacted at davidscoatroom@gmail.com, our Facebook page, or by phone: 925-755-6474.

"Holiday Gifts" will be a short series in the Mirror during the upcoming season of giving. Do you have a holiday gift story to share? We'd love to hear about it. Call us at 734-328-1386 and tell us your story. 

Davids Coat Room collected and distributed coats on the Mill porch pre-COVID in 2019 and is returning soon!

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.