- Rather than write a story, I decided to write a poem
about a recent discovery of an old shoe-box which had been festooned with
decorations by my mother over the years.
-
- She passed away 10 years ago just after Christmas. She
had included it among the things she wanted me to have and it remained
unnoticed until recently. I suspect her message is a timeless one which
she'd want shared with all sons and daughters. Thank you mom, for making
this a very special Christmas.
-
- Today, while searching closets I looked upon a shelf,
And found thereon a shoe-box in a corner by itself. I read upon its cover
"Letters to Santa contained inside," I then removed a ribbon
which around the box was tied.
-
- Quickly opening the cover the first thing to catch my
eye, Was a note atop my letters found neatly stacked inside. Written by
my mother, oh so long ago, Was lovingly scribed a letter, titled "Things
you need to know."
-
- She left those many years ago but it seems like yesterday,
When she helped me write to Santa and told me what to say. "Always
start: Dear Santa," is what mother said to me, "Then say you've
been a real good boy and that your name is Lea."
-
- She'd sit and help for hours as I'd write my Santa note,
Then off to Santa's Village went my letter filled with hope. And on each
and every Christmas day it never failed to be, I'd find the things I asked
for beneath our Christmas Tree.
-
- "I hope someday you'll find this in the things I
left to you, It is my greatest treasure kept inside this box for shoes.
I'd often sit and read them as life made my boy a man, And recall how you
wrote them as I held your tiny hand."
-
- "You'd sit and write for hours making sure that
Santa knew, About all the things you wanted from trains to brand-new shoes.
Each year I'd say I mailed them but alas I couldn't part, With the dreams
of my little Lea, as it would surely break my heart."
-
- "I copied each and every note and sent them on their
way, Then placed your letters in this box for you to read one day. I hope
when you read them that a message from above, Will fill your heart with
wisdom and a mother's endless love."
-
-
- Comment
- From Jerry L. Gardner
- 12-17-3
-
- Letters To Santa
- From Pleasantville
- By Lea MacDonald
-
- Hi Jeff,
-
- With all the hatred, wars, and man's continued inhumanity
to his fellow man, it was wonderful to read the poem from Lea MacDonald.
This is a warm, heartfelt memory from a time gone by and an experience
which seems to be little more than history now. Christmas hymns, snow,
a warm fire, family and friends, Christmas dinner, memories shared, the
excitement in the eyes of children, the overall spiritual feeling of a
special and sacred time of the year. This is the Christmas season, this
is Lea's message.
-
- Wouldn't it be great if all people could just have an
instant heart transplant and once again learn the real meaning of family,
friends and love and recapture those days of old when we had little but
had plenty? Gee, I almost forgot (almost), that is what our savior, the
man called Jesus, the true personification of love came into this world
to do, offer each of us a heart transplant, a heart of flesh for these
hearts of pride, hatred, and stone. This is the root core of why some of
us still worship the man who admonished us to "turn the other cheek,"
not strike out and kill and destroy.
-
- Although Christmas isn't the true birth date of Jesus,
and is no more than a pagan holiday today, many still take this "man"
created holiday to bring into remembrance the holy one of Israel and the
unequaled and horrible price he paid that we undeserving mortals might
embrace love and peace on earth. How terribly sad he must be as he looks
upon mankind's murders, greed, hunger for power, and war induced suffering
of his creation as he prepares to return and judge the world that he gave
so much for. The smile and expectations of the innocent child is taken
away by the loss of an arm, leg, eye, or possibly one or both parents.
The parents, regardless of religious persuasion will never come to know
Jesus because their lives have been snuffed out from Satan's killer forces
of evil and his massive war machines.
-
- I am reluctant to mention Santa Claus in the same message
with Jesus, however, I am reminded of the classic news paper article, "Yes
Virginia, there is a Santa Claus." The message being that over the
years we become calloused, bitter, hard, unfriendly and unbelieving in
anything. We are no longer able to dream, nor do we permit others to dream
because of our hostile attitudes. We have to come to a point that we realize
what a treasure we have lost, and hopefully recapture some of it before
it's too late. We must force ourselves to reach back in the depths of our
memories, back to an innocent childhood where dreams came true, where we
could believe in a savior with child like faith and not feel like an outsider
or a criminal.
-
- The Christmas tradition of giving should be a wonderful
and unselfish experience, after all, it is symbolic of Jesus giving his
all, his very life for us. Yet this tradition has become selfish and impersonal
for many. We have allowed propaganda and corporate commercialism to obscure
the reason for our celebration of the day to the point that we not only
totally dismiss Jesus as the center of our love and attention. We have
become petty, jealous, and greedy, so far removed for the reason for our
celebrating this time of the year that today in many parts of America it
is illegal to refer to Jesus, or to sing Christmas Hymns, or even to acknowledge
the spiritual side of the season. The office party and the booze is now
the focus of the Christmas event while our televisions fill our living
rooms with secular, non Christian programs which serve to further brainwash
and remove the central meaning of Christmas from our children. It is a
sad indictment on America today that when a child is asked what Christmas
is about, their immediate reply almost to the child is "Santa Claus."
Jesus isn't even in the picture. Schools can teach Muslim courses, but
teachers can be fired for mentioning Christmas or Jesus. Do they not understand
that it is impossible to hate Jesus and put him down without hating God
at the same time? Isn't it strange that we've eliminated Jesus from the
Christmas holidays but we continue the ritual of exchanging gifts and feeding
the corporate beast?
-
- We should all try to view the world once more through
the eyes of a child. If people can transform during one season of the year,
the season we call Christmas, then why can't that same spark of love extend
the full year? I suppose that is the eternal question. Yes, Virginia, there
is a Santa Claus, but more importantly Virginia, there is a redeemer, a
savior, the man Jesus who cannot only give us the desires of our hearts
for Christmas and every other day, but can give us joy unspeakable and
full of glory and life eternal. We honor him this month, at least a few
of us do.
-
- Merry Christmas Jeff, and all.
-
- Jerry L. Gardner
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