Christmas in April

This morning while I was having breakfast in front of the TV, I came upon a movie that still had about 15 minutes of screening time left.
It was about a single parent (woman) who has a son but refuses to acknowledge an elderly but very rich man is her biological father.
It is Yuletide and the bitterness and hardship that she and her family had endured through the decades had been assimilated into her persona.
Even after that man had openly admitted that he was her father, she refuses to accept him. She blames him for those "missing years" and how she and her mum had lived in poverty all those times.
The rich man who now had now adopted a new approach to life now craves for a family that he does not have. It is a tale not uncommon in any society. Secretly during the last decade or so, he had been playing the role of "secret Santa" come Christmas time.
A handsome reporter was sent to track the "secret Santa" and eventually gets involved in the family complication that involves the woman, her son and the eccentric rich man.
By the time, the movie unfolds its last chapter, it is revealed that he had actually opened a shelter for the homeless and orphans dedicated to the memory of his daughter's stepfather.
It seemed that the stepfather named McManus was sent packing to poverty lane by this rich man decades ago after some bad financial advice. The wealthy man blamed himself, so did the woman who bore him his daughter.
It was only before the death of the woman, did she discover that the rich man had made amends by establishing the shelter under her husband's name. She forgave him. The daughter didn't realise this until the very end.
The story brought tears to my eyes even as the morning sun began to peek over the rooftops outside my house. The day was cloudy, the atmosphere was slightly dull, as befits the season. Afterall, it was April and they were showing a Christmas movie in telly.
Somehow it was appropriate. The TV story made me think of my parents who had passed away about 10 years ago. My mum died a year before my dad. I guess the story made me miss them and the tears came easily.
The moral of the TV tale lies in forgiveness and second chances in life. Nobody is ever born with a flawless family background or a life devoid of weaknesses and errors. If ever there's such a case, then what's there to learn on earth.
All of us, without exception, are born with a purpose. It could be that we are here to help others, to learn from others or to help one another or all of the above.
Money is important but it's not everything as the cliche goes. All too true. Having lived on earth past five decades, I have discovered that wealth does not bring happiness. It is a means to purchase conveniences.
Happiness has to be earned and has to be pursued. Even if in our dying breath, we find out the truth about life and its wonderful secrets, our life would have been well lived.
This is the story, at least for me, of Christmas in April. Afterall, we have just embarked on the front end of the month. I welcome TV movies like that in the morning. It helps to re-align my life's bearings.
I am happy I have a close encounter with this movie, of which I don't even know the title because I only caught the last 15 minutes of it. But the lesson has been effective and I am grateful.
Truly, I tell you. God works in so many wonderful ways to speak to us. I am glad he decided to visit me one Christmas morning in April.