Tis the Season to make it DO what it Do by Lorraine Elzia

Tis the Season to “Make It Do What It Do”

In the movie, “Ray”, Jamie Fox does a stellar job of making Ray’s colloquisim, “Make it Do what it Do” a trademark saying that all want to use. We smirk when hearing it and say to ourselves, “I KNOW that’s right”, but that’s about the extent of how we institute the saying into our lives.

Wake up call….

Recently my mother moved from Detroit to live with me in Texas. One morning she was preparing to go to the grocery store, and unlike me who throws on a jacket and goes in whatever condition I am in, my mom dresses for every occasion that beckons her to leave the house. As she came down the stairs she was in true Texas Fly girl form to say the least. Adorned in a camouflaged floppy hat, a black leather jacket and shoes to match and makeup that was flawless; she had a style all her own, via Motown that just WORKED. I thought to myself, “This small ‘Mayberry’ town isn’t use to her kind of style,” but I knew she was going to turn many a head as she went down the grocery store aisles because she looked really good. She was fabulous by all accounts. I looked at her and made small talk about her looking nice and her response was, “I just make it ‘do what it do’ while staying warm in the process.”

That made me smile.

I began to think about other things that happened earlier in the week that were simple in nature, yet warmed my heart; things that made me “WAKE UP” to the simple, yet real meaning of why we are here.

I thought about the homeless man I saw outside the back of the courthouse. It had rained the night before and everything he owned had gotten wet during his night of slumber. I’m not sure how he kept himself dry during the night, but his earthly belongings (all of which fit nicely into a backpack) were drenched. As he sat behind the courthouse, he was not angry, he was not crying in sorrow about what he did not have or about the tragic nature of being homeless for the holidays. He did not cry out about not having a car or a home, what bills he owed, or the tragic turn of events that were his life. Instead he made his life “do what it do.” Instead of letting worry and fear be his leader, he sang as he wrung out his clothing. He made a joyful noise to God as he shook out the water of the night from each of his belongings. He smiled and shared a soul stirring song from the bottom of his heart with all that passed by watching him with curious eyes. Life was not sorrowful for him even though he did not know where he would lay his head for the next night. Instead of worrying about his circumstance, he made his life, “do what it do” and he was pleased to be alive.

I pushed fast forward on my thoughts and remembered a couple that was leaving a food kitchen after lunchtime. They had just gotten a bite to eat and were walking to the next safe haven to call home. What was different about this couple was that they were pushing a baby stroller. Their daughter, beautiful by anyone’s glance, was sitting straight up as her parent’s pushed her to the next destination. I sensed from them that they did not even know where they were going. As the little girl was escorted to her home for the night, she was smiling, dancing and singing...watching her made me sway along in rhythm with her. She did not recognize the dire straits of her situation, all she knew was that the sun was shining, the birds were singing and life was great as she knew it. In the middle of her condition, she made her life, “do what it do.” She made her life sing and dance and she was pleased to be alive.

It’s that time of the year again when “Happy Holidays” is the greeting we extend to others. Yet, reality is that the holidays have become too commercialized. Instead of enjoying life and being thankful for all that we have been given and capitalizing on our blessings; we tend to let fear, anxiety and self-doubt be our leaders. We worry will we be able to give the gifts that we want to. We worry about decorations, Christmas trees, and all the distractions of the season instead of concentrating on how WE can instill the uniqueness of ourselves into the lives of others and show them how ultimately blessed we all are to be alive.

I submit that you should make this holiday season one in which you give the gift of hope to others. It’s a very cheap gift that can’t be bought off of any shelf, but instead resides deep within who you are. Your uniqueness is a gift that others will cherish and remember for years. Put a smile on the face of someone else in your own special way. Make a vow that material goods will not be the main gift on your list of things to give, but that hope, love and joy will permeate from your body until it reaches another. That’s the gift that keeps on giving. That is what the season is about. It’s about giving love. It’s about giving of ourselves as the Son did so many years ago for us.

Tis the season to “make it do what it do.” Tis the season to share the uniqueness that is you. Tis the season to be like my mother and make a heart smile by just being who you are. Tis the season to be like the homeless man that had a song to share with others in the midst of his unlucky situation. Tis the season to be like the little girl in the stroller that was just thankful for the sunshine and full belly. It’s a time to share your style with another, your smile, your song and your dance. Those things seem like nothing to us, but when they touch another soul, that is a Christmas gift that will be remembered.

This Christmas, make your life and your existence, “do what it do.” This Christmas give the greatest gift to those you love…..give the gift of you.

Learn more about Lorraine Elzia at http://www.lorraineelzia.com/ and purchase her debut novel, Mistress Memoirs, at http://www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com/