I like the " memory " feature that appears on my Facebook page. It is always interesting to see what I posted a year ago or more. I do find I tend to repeat the same themes and ideas. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised as that is you I am. You just don't think of yourself in that manner, others certainly, but not me. I am full of fresh new ideas stimulated by growth. Don't we all feel that way ? It is a healthy attitude and nothing to be ashamed of. That is what I keep telling myself anyway when I review my postings. The truth never changes, right ? It is good to be reminded of the truth every now and again and that " memories " feature does that. In the colloquial expression, " it's all good. "
It was the day before yesterday when I read a post about Santa Claus and the grandchildren. It was written several years back. In it I was relating how my granddaughter Morgan had said goodbye to the Santa Claus of childhood, and moved on. Reading that post was a reminder. For a short time I was back there with her and experienced that emotion over again. It is a bittersweet memory for sure. I recalled her excitement at seeing Santa. like seeing an old friend. She ran up to him and embraced him. Santa was welcoming of course and said Merry Christmas. Morgan looked at him and returned the greeting. It was then I realized she was really saying goodbye, goodbye to that myth. At the same instant I felt that Morgan had come to understand the magic that is Santa Claus. A figure dedicated to making children happy. And how does he accomplish that ? He does it by reward, the giving of gifts. The only caveat, you have to be good, all year and all the time. As adults we tend to forget that lesson. We tend to forget that we too are children. If we are good, all our life, we too will be rewarded with a gift. The gift of eternal life. In the case of either all it requires is faith. Faith and being good.
I find it interesting that you hear, more now than ever before, that God doesn't exist. Secular science attempts to explain and prove everything. I hear the whole narrative and can't help but smile. Those saying all of that have no faith. Why is it I don't hear those same people vigorously spreading the word that there is no Santa Claus ? They just go along with that premise in the spirit of the season. Well, just what is that spirit ? That spirit is the spirit of giving, is it not ? To give without the expectation of receiving ? No, that isn't correct. It is to give with the promise of a return. To give your very best to your fellow man with the promise of a reward. The material gifts we exchange are only symbolic. The real gifts we give should be compassion and understanding. To treat others as we wish to be treated. These gifts do come at a cost to ourselves. We must place the welfare of others before our own, not an easy thing to do. It is my hope that I can accomplish that action, in sufficient quantity, to be rewarded. I want the reward that is promised but I must earn that reward. Isn't that what Santa teaches ? Isn't that what the Bible teaches as well ?
So what does Santa Claus have to do with the birth of Christ ? Both are concerned with right actions and reward. Santa Claus is a myth but provides a reward for behavior that is acceptable. With children we can not expect them to think in terms of the eternal. To a child a week is an eternity ! We use Santa as an reason to " behave " or else. We threaten the withholding of the reward. We also show forgiveness for wrong actions and the reward is still gained. That is planting the seed however for the real lesson we need to learn in life. We need to learn that this life is only temporary, that is true. It has even been verified by secular science and given a name, death. Then having come to understand that we need to learn that our soul, our essence, lives on. We should spend our lives in preparation for the life to come. We don't have much time. Something we only come to understand as we age. How to prepare ? It is simple really, be good. All the time. But I have wandered off, as usual in my own thoughts.
I started out thinking about memories. I enjoy looking at those memories and being reminded. What is interesting about those memories is they all tell a story. Like a good book you find new things each time you read it. I find new meanings and lessons there. There are few absolutes in life. Death is one of those absolutes. What we seem to forget is , so is birth, a miracle that happens to each of us. The gift is life. It is up to us accept that gift. The manner in which we do so determines our future. The truth is we are not talking about short term goals here, we are talking an eternity. Good memories last that way also.
It was the day before yesterday when I read a post about Santa Claus and the grandchildren. It was written several years back. In it I was relating how my granddaughter Morgan had said goodbye to the Santa Claus of childhood, and moved on. Reading that post was a reminder. For a short time I was back there with her and experienced that emotion over again. It is a bittersweet memory for sure. I recalled her excitement at seeing Santa. like seeing an old friend. She ran up to him and embraced him. Santa was welcoming of course and said Merry Christmas. Morgan looked at him and returned the greeting. It was then I realized she was really saying goodbye, goodbye to that myth. At the same instant I felt that Morgan had come to understand the magic that is Santa Claus. A figure dedicated to making children happy. And how does he accomplish that ? He does it by reward, the giving of gifts. The only caveat, you have to be good, all year and all the time. As adults we tend to forget that lesson. We tend to forget that we too are children. If we are good, all our life, we too will be rewarded with a gift. The gift of eternal life. In the case of either all it requires is faith. Faith and being good.
I find it interesting that you hear, more now than ever before, that God doesn't exist. Secular science attempts to explain and prove everything. I hear the whole narrative and can't help but smile. Those saying all of that have no faith. Why is it I don't hear those same people vigorously spreading the word that there is no Santa Claus ? They just go along with that premise in the spirit of the season. Well, just what is that spirit ? That spirit is the spirit of giving, is it not ? To give without the expectation of receiving ? No, that isn't correct. It is to give with the promise of a return. To give your very best to your fellow man with the promise of a reward. The material gifts we exchange are only symbolic. The real gifts we give should be compassion and understanding. To treat others as we wish to be treated. These gifts do come at a cost to ourselves. We must place the welfare of others before our own, not an easy thing to do. It is my hope that I can accomplish that action, in sufficient quantity, to be rewarded. I want the reward that is promised but I must earn that reward. Isn't that what Santa teaches ? Isn't that what the Bible teaches as well ?
So what does Santa Claus have to do with the birth of Christ ? Both are concerned with right actions and reward. Santa Claus is a myth but provides a reward for behavior that is acceptable. With children we can not expect them to think in terms of the eternal. To a child a week is an eternity ! We use Santa as an reason to " behave " or else. We threaten the withholding of the reward. We also show forgiveness for wrong actions and the reward is still gained. That is planting the seed however for the real lesson we need to learn in life. We need to learn that this life is only temporary, that is true. It has even been verified by secular science and given a name, death. Then having come to understand that we need to learn that our soul, our essence, lives on. We should spend our lives in preparation for the life to come. We don't have much time. Something we only come to understand as we age. How to prepare ? It is simple really, be good. All the time. But I have wandered off, as usual in my own thoughts.
I started out thinking about memories. I enjoy looking at those memories and being reminded. What is interesting about those memories is they all tell a story. Like a good book you find new things each time you read it. I find new meanings and lessons there. There are few absolutes in life. Death is one of those absolutes. What we seem to forget is , so is birth, a miracle that happens to each of us. The gift is life. It is up to us accept that gift. The manner in which we do so determines our future. The truth is we are not talking about short term goals here, we are talking an eternity. Good memories last that way also.
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