My son is 6 years old, and he has a lot of toys.

Truth be told, so does his father.

I’ve been a “Star Wars” collector since I was 7. I vividlyremember that my first SW-related collectible was a coloring setthat came with a fistful of multicolored markers, which I receivedone day before I saw the first film at the Fox Plaza Theater inStaten Island in 1977. I still recall coloring in an oversized linedrawing of Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi that evening, just beforemy aunt and I left to go see the movie.

In the years since, I’ve amassed, by most people's definition, apretty respectable collection of various items. Which is to say Ihave, by most non-collectors’ standards, too much stuff.

Years ago while I was doing a brief stint as city editor at theNew York edition of Metro, I decided to donate some extraitems from my collection to the office's Toys for Tots drive. Forthe uninitiated, Toys for Tots is a wonderful charitable effortorganized by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve that collects new,unopened toys and distributes them to children in need during theholiday season.

While going through my collection, one of the toys I came acrosswas a 3-pack of figures that I didn't necessarily need, so thatwent in the “donate” pile. (One does not simply part with any ofthe most prized pieces in one's collection on a whim, yousee.) The next day I brought in a good-sized bag of items to giveto Toys for Tots, marking the first time I’d donated actual toysand not money — and then I essentially forgot about it.

About two weeks later we sent a photographer out to a photo opat a women's shelter in Manhattan, where some of the toys ouroffice had donated had ended up. I was scanning through the photosto pick out good ones to run in the next day's paper — and Ifroze.

A little boy at the shelter, probably no more than 4 or 5, waspictured showing one of the most incredible expressions of pure joyI’ve seen to this day.

Grasping, with both hands, the 3-pack of figures I’d tossed inthe bag.

I don't mind telling you that I welled up on the spot. I’mchoked up as I write this, just thinking about it.

That child taught me a priceless lesson about how an empty hearttakes so little to fill.

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In 2013, my son and I began an annual tradition of going throughmy collection and deciding what we can give to kids who havenothing, buying some additional toys, and delivering the lottogether to one of Toys for Tots’ drop-off points. In relating tohim why any sane, toy-loving person would do such a thing, which atfirst he didn't understand, I got down to his level and said tohim, “Declan, imagine having no toys at all, and no toysat Christmas. Imagine how sad that would be.”

He was instantly on board, and every year until I’m gone we’lldo what we can each holiday season, together, so that fewerless-fortunate children will have to face such a stark reality.

National Underwriter Property & Casualty proudlysupports the efforts of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys forTots program, and we encourage our readers throughout this greatcountry to do the same in their own towns.

If you have photos of your agency or other insurance-relatedbusiness collecting/delivering toys to Toys for Tots this holidayseason, please send them to me (my e-mail address is below) and wewill feature them in a gallery of images showcasing your thoughtfulwork. Perhaps we can even learn where some of the toys have gone,so we can share in the joy of making a child's holidaybrighter.

But even if that proves elusive, we’ll know that somewhere, wemade a difference.

If just for one day.

Shawn Moynihan ([email protected]) isEditor-in-Chief of National Underwriter Property &Casualty.

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