Keeping Christmas well - Day 9

I have a special friend who I have known for over 20 years. Back in the day we played sports together, we've served together in the YW organization, we've been V.T. comps and now Rick is her home teacher and I am his companion and we visit her home regularly.
She has been through a lot in those 20 years. She has some mental health challenges and it is amazing to see all that she can do in spite of those challenges. She is employed full-time and supports herself. She volunteers at the library every week. She tutors students who are having a hard time in math. She is very smart and earned her MBA online. She knows a lot of things and it is always interesting to talk to her. We go on a walk each Monday night at 5:30 pm. Rain, shine, snow, hail, we walk around the track by our house. She tells me about her life and I tell her about mine. She is a good listener and I enjoy her company. I've seen her go through some very hard situations and I've seen her shine in the best situations. She is pretty much alone in the world. She doesn't have a lot to do with her mother, her sister and her brother. She sees them about once a year if that. She doesn't spend holidays with them and they don't make any effort to spend any holiday with her.
She has two cats who keep her company since she is single and lives alone. She has some interesting hobbies that fill her time when she is home from work. One amazing hobby is that she makes paper from all sorts of natural fibers. She makes gift cards and other paper and she is getting very good at it. If you've been lucky, then maybe I've sent you a gift card that was hand made by my friend. She also collects vintage children's books. She collects series books from the 1900-1940s. She has an impressive and valuable collection. She travels all over the country to various bookstores to find the titles she needs to finish off a collection.
Why do I mention her at this time of year? Because she is a generous Christmas gift giver who anonymously gives to others without them ever finding out. She involves me in her gift giving. Usually it's my handwriting on the card instead of hers. Or I'm the delivery person or the drop off person. She decides who she wants to help and she never wants them to find out about it. She swears me to secrecy and I'll take those secrets to the grave. She gives generously and she gives with love in her heart. Given her challenges, she could easily be the one to receive, but she determines that in order to really enjoy Christmas, she wants to be the one to give.
I admire that about her. She has helped support many missionaries (especially sister missionaries including our own daughter) and does it because she doesn't want to miss the opportunity to support a missionary even if she doesn't have one of her own.
I admire people who do hard things. I admire people who forge ahead against very difficult odds. I admire people who know that their problems will become lessened if they will get outside of themselves and give to others. She is a perfect example of the kind of person I admire for the selfless service and kindness that she gives to others.