Yes Virginia

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!” ― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

I have always enjoyed the message in this story from New York's THE SUN newspaper and as such I share it with you.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus.

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York's Sun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEAR EDITOR:
I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a joyous Christmas and Holiday season full of life, love, generosity and devotion. Stay inspired my friends.

Two Days Til Christmas

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” ― Mark Twain

Only two days before the Christian observance of Christmas falls upon us. It celebrates the birth not of God but of a man who was the "son of God" in my Christian faith. And while there is debate as to when the actual birth occurred, it has been with us for hundreds of years.

The celebration has also grown into many different variations of celebration, both religious and secular. We have of course the "Twelve Days of Christmas" shopping season that has grown into "Thirty Days of Christmas" as soon as the Thanksgiving Dinner dishes are washed shopping season.

We have the College Football Bowl season in which the very good and the very questionable games get played. There are the office parties in which some reveal themselves a bit more in the company of co-workers then they should. There are vacations to the beach for those that want a mid-winter's escape from the cold.

There are final visits to see Santa Claus and provide him with a few more gift ideas. A walk through the magical lights or a drive to see colorful Christmas displays. There are parades, there are parties and there are presents to be wrapped.

Yet the most important thing to me is that people just seem to get along much better. New connections are made between people that have never known each other. Old connections are renewed and strengthened. It is a much friendlier time of the year. And in many ways, my belief in what mankind should be like gets restored.

Enjoy the holidays, enjoy Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and Saint Sylvester. More importantly enjoy being kind to others.

Stay inspired my friends.

Our Lives Are Songs

By Thomas Gibbons

Our lives are songs:
God writes the words,
And we set them to music at leisure;
And the song is sad, or the song is glad,
As we choose to fashion the measure.

We must write the song
Whatever the words,
Whatever its rhyme or meter;
And if it is sad, we must make it glad,
And if sweet, we must make it sweeter.

Stay inspired my friends!

Taking Flight

“If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.” ― Coco Chanel

This is the day that our daughter Pareesa takes steps on a stage to take hold of her college degree. The many late nights of studying, writing papers and dreaming of accomplishment are over. The reward of dedication to learning is acknowledgement before a multitude of family, friends and peers.

We are so proud of her in this and all the moments of her life.

With her degree in hand she will take flight to even greater heights. The world awaits all of us to accomplish great things. Pareesa, like all of our children, have and will do so much in their lifetime. The sky is huge and full of possibility to spread her wings wide. She will soar to success unimaginable even by a parents greatest expectations.

There will be great love and pride lifting those wings.

Where the winds of time carry her, we always know those same winds will carry her home to us from time to time. Pareesa will have a life of greatness, of achievement, and of happiness. Life is a wondrous thing to have and she will embark upon it with courage, wisdom and strength. As parents, we will get to watch from our perch, happy and confident in her ability to soar ever higher.

We love you Pareesa and are so proud of you on this grand graduation day!