Some background...
The following was published last week in the Expositor.
Dave W is a local politician who admitted he is suffering from Manic Depression and had the courage to step asside. Kacie and Isabel are little girls whose letters to Santa were recently published. Our local bingo hall was recently shut down cutting a major source of revenue for charities and Wayne Gretzky a major local hero just lost his mother to lung cancer. She was a lifelong smoker.
Enjoy
Judy
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Dear Santa
I know I haven't written for a few years but I guess I have been busy. My adult life has been so full of challenges that I didn't expect that I lost touch with some of the things that were important to me as a child like you and Rudolph. I am however rediscovering these things with new eyes thanks to my nephew who sings Christmas Carols on the phone. I think I have been a good girl this year. Okay maybe not that good but I have a good excuse for all of the bad things. I guess that's the difference between being a child and a grown up. I can find something good even in the worst mistakes.
I have a list for you this year. I know that some of these things might be beyond the capabilities of your elves especially with so many Xbox 360's to make so I am going to "cc" in God. Hopefully he can help with the things that are beyond your abilities.
1) Teach us all first and foremost to give thanks for the things we have before we ask for more as little Kacie did in her letter to Santa in today's paper.
2) Give us all a bit of Dave Worbel's courage. It takes real courage to admit any illness let alone mental illness. More importantly it also takes great wisdom to admit that maybe the best job I can do is sometimes having the humility to admit I just can't do it. I know I could use a bit of that.
3) Remind me that Christmas is about giving to others whether it be large like Frank Stronach's Canadaville in New Orleans or 8 year old Isabel's simple wish of no more hurricanes.
4) Teach parent's to look after themselves and remind them that just being here to care for their children now and in the future is the greatest gift they can give. Help them to overcome life threatening addictions like cigarettes and alcohol and do all they can to see the joy on their grand children's faces on Christmas mornings years from now.
5) Give us Wayne Gretzky's devotion to family. Help us to make the right choice and put our career aside and family first in times of need. Give strength to the Gretzky's and the many other families dealing with an inconsolable loss at this time of the year. Surround them with the love and support of a community that truly cares.
6) Help us to teach our politicians that morals and honesty are more than just campaign issues. Give us the foresight to see through the BS and slogans and vote for the people who actually represent what we believe in and not just against something we fear.
7) Push us to maintain the remarkable spirit of giving that shined through so many tragedies in 2005. Remind us that everyday "hurricane's" of poverty and homelessness continue to claim lives in our own community every year. Help us to translate some of that spirit into making the lives of all the people in our community a bit brighter this holiday. Let everyday acts of charity fill the void of charity funding left by the closesure of our Bingo hall.
8) Teach us the vision to see that consuming without regard is not just wastefull but selfish. Help us to maintain the spirit of conservation we saw during our summer energy crunch. Teach us not to wait for a huge energy bill or a brownout to realize that everything we consume has a cost to our environment and a limit in supply. Remind us everything we waste today will have an effect on the world we leave to our kids.
9) Put something extra in the stockings of our city council for putting a limit on the hours of the commercial insanity of Boxing Day. Help us to remember that the "stupid slow cashier" behind the counter is somebody's child trying to earn a few extra dollars to buy his parent's a Christmas gift. Give us the courage to brighten their hectic day with a smileand a bit of patience in the spirit of the season.
10) Remind us to say thanks for all the gifts we get this year big or small knowing in our hearts that it is truly the thought that counts and nothing can be more special than being thought of. Help us to remember that spending time with the ones we love is a much greater gift that cannot be bought in any store.
With regards to you and Rudolph.
Judy
