"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
~Angela Schwindt
~Angela Schwindt
"Hey... I left some letters from St. Nicholas for the kids next to your column outside" ....
"You are a mischievous elf, aren't you? .. but that's great, we would've forgotten.."
(text conversation between myself and a friend)
Yesterday, was the feast day of St. Nicholas.. not Santa Claus... but the Catholic Saint... I don't know when I began the lunacy of writing letters to all the children in my family, which now includes some extended family as well, but I think it was about 9 or 10 years ago.... on average, I write from 12-20 letters each year... yes, lunacy....
The message in each letter is to generally praise the child for all of his/her virtues, good deeds, excellent schoolwork, etc. during the past year... St. Nicholas writes about how proud he is of the way they love God, their parents and siblings and friends... and then, maybe one or two things they need to work at to improve some comportment that is not nice as they prepare for the miracle of the Christ-child's birth... The letter closes with a reminder to them of the reason we celebrate Christmas and how they need to pray and meditate about it...
So anyway, with all that said... I go back to the quote.... last night I saw 6 of the children who received letters... and all of them were talking about what St. Nick had written and brought them.. (I, also, leave one small gift... a bracelet, candy cane socks, a book...) ... and then, Samantha, who is 7, comes to me and says, "Want to read the letter I got?" ... I said, "Sure, you have it with you?" and she took off her Santa hat and pulled the letter out... amazed, I asked her, "Have you been carrying the letter with you all day in your hat?" and she responded, "Yep, I sure have... it's the most wonderful letter I've ever gotten.." Need-less-to-say, I was holding back the tears as I pretended to read the letter for the first time...
Children have a way of teaching us what life is about that way... the way they easily and naturally believe and have faith and have hope in the goodness of life and love... their innocence and pureness of heart helps us see things in such a different perspective... they don't think deeply, and yet, their thoughts and actions are so deep... God's light shines brightly through their hearts and they don't even realize it... they are amazing little people... and during the next 3 weeks, as we all prepare to celebrate the miracles of each of our religions, children make the preparation even more spectacular with the happy hope they share with us ... through the anticipation and excitement with which they speak to us of what's on their "list", what parties they have, their plans for winter recess, etc. ... the sparkle in their eyes.. the smiles they offer... the love that flows freely... all of these things teach us about how we should see "life" and all the miracles of it...
May you all delight in the miracles of December... may your eyes and ears and hearts be open to a child's perspective and/or explanation of all the magical things that happen in December ... learn from them about life and renew your faith... restore your hope... rejoice in the love....
We are all loved beyond measure and are cherished blessings to the world....
With love,
Elena
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