page 5 THE PROWLERDec. 6, 2012

Giving betterfor the soul The old saying that it’s “better to give than to receive”, has never been truer. For some of us who live in “the bubble”, it seems as though we have grown accustomed to getting, getting, getting. When each December rolls around, we begin to draft our lengthy, and expensive Christmas lists and promptly hand them over to mom and dad. Some have even grown to expect every item listed. Although it feels good to get everything we want. We have forgotten the spirit of the season. For everyone who receives a gift, there are children who are starving in other places in the world or right here in America. Not everyone, of course, falls into this category of selfishly receiving instead of giving. Some have experienced the pure joy that accompanies the simple acts of kindness. Imagine looking into the eyes of a person who is receiving a warm bowl of soup after having to endure the pains of a near-empty stomach. Or a person who receives a blanket or a coat after battling the frigid

temperatures and icy winds for most of the cold winter season. Yet, we think of the new smart-phone we “need”. Stacey Gotwald, Community Relations Assistant Manager for Operation Christmas Child, pointed out something we all need to remember. “Every gift represents a child who needs to know they are loved and not forgotten, and that these gifts represent the love of Christ, the greatest gift of all. Seeing first-hand the power a simple gift has, and its impact on the life of a child in need, I have realized the truth in the old saying, ‘it is better to give than to receive.’ As kids’ faces light up over the simplest of things like toothpaste and school supplies, it is both humbling and rewarding.” Operation Christmas Child is hoping to give more gifts this season. There is a drop-off location at New Hope Baptist Church. The holiday season is not about material gifts we can receive, but about the small acts of love we can show to others. These actions of empathy and compassion spell out the true meaning of the holidays.

Lack of support for play subpar The Advanced Drama II pro-duction of the Thornton Wilder play “Our Town” had a well-craft-ed set and wonderful talent, but unfortunately not many people got to see it. Its three-day run in early Oc-tober coincided with a football-free weekend since it was the Panthers’ bye week, freeing up students, parents and members of the community to come to the Willie Duke Auditorium. However, for two out of three perfor-mances, fewer than 150 people were in attendance. With an auditorium that holds around 1,200, this was not what Drama department chair David Spearman and his cast and crew expected from the usually sup-portive community. “We’ve built such a reputa-tion and our audiences expect elaborate shows,” Spearman said. “These shows become very expensive to produce. Overall, we lost about $4,000 on ‘Our Town’. We can’t continue to produce high caliber shows if no one comes to see them,” he said. The department is so well

known that sometimes students transfer in to be a part of it. Camille Edwards, who played the female lead of Emily Webb, transferred here from McIntosh. Edwards, who was nomi-nated in Theatre Performance, is one of the nine Mill students who advanced to the state level

interviews in January for the prestigious Governor’s Honors Program. Any and every team, department, club, and student function wants and needs the student body, faculty, and community’s sup-

port in order to be a success. Although “Our Town” wasn’t an

upbeat musical, the cast and crew worked just as hard to make their performances a success, and that success was evident in the tears on some audience members’ faces. Not long after we return to school, the annual Miss Starr’s Mill Pageant will offer a chance to see 29 talented members of our student body. It’s also another chance to support the Drama department and the school.

Cheers to listening to Christmas music on the radio. There’s noth-ing as cheery as giving your own rendition of Christmas classics to your family and friends who are trapped in the car with you.

Cheers to the new phone game Fun Run. Why take notes in class when you can throw saw blades and lightning bolts to beat your friends to the finish line.

Cheers to the end of No Shave November. Guys and girls no longer have to bring out their inner Sasquatch.

Cheers to the hit A&E series, “Duck Dynasty” for redeeming good old redneck comedy from TLC’s “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.”

Cheers to “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2” for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 game systems.

Now girls don’t have to worry about what to get their significant others for Christmas, but they won’t be seeing them for a while.

Cheers to Shane Ratliff and Mandy Burnett for getting mar-ried this weekend. Their common interest in teaching turned into a common interest in each other.

Cheers to Taylor Swift’s new album, Red. Girls, and even guys, can get over their tough winter breakups with some new material.

Cheers to big sweaters, yoga pants, and Uggs for their stylish, yet comfortable, look. It’s be-come a girl’s go-to outfit for that “lazy day” of the week.

Jeers to the ranch dressing in the cafeteria. Its egg-salad taste doesn’t seem to go well with anyone’s chicken sandwich.

Jeers to so many different bell schedules, often times without much prior notice. It’s frustrat-ing not to know where to go and when.

Jeers to not getting any snow during the holiday season. Hallmark movies become a tease when we can never get a white Christmas.

Juniors Alex Radcliffe and Sam Clem-ent listen to their favorite Taylor Swift songs from her new hit album, Red. Marco Amalfitano/ Staff

Marco Amalfitano ’14Staff Writer

Camille Edwards per-forms as Emily Webb in Our Town. Vicky DeJoy/ Special