The quandary of Santa and other holiday thoughts:
Is Santa real? Of course, Santa is real. Is God real? Is the spirit real? Is love real? Remember the ego , the mind based substitute for your divine self, thinks only in bodily terms. So, the question may mean,"Is there a flesh and blood man going to come down your chimney tonite?" I hope not! But that in no way detracts from all the pleasures of the season, including Santa...all of them. ( Santas, that is) Santa shows us the spirit of giving. So we do, we give gifts to each other and to our children. Santa works through us all, no matter our faith or mental constructs. Love knows no limitations.
All the Santas we see around Christmas time remind us to be kind and to care for others, to think about those who are less fortunate than ourselves in this time space reality.
There once was a man, a long time ago, who brought presents to children in a poor village far away from here. His name was St Nicolas. People thought that it was wonderful! It moved them. So to remind everyone what a good idea it is to give many stories grew up around Santa.
Some stories are sweet and some silly, Some are about his reindeer and toy shop and elves...but really if you look, inside each one is the dropping of the desire to fight, to protect oneself, to get what you want over others...to instead, forgive, to open up and to love someone else. To give and to share, to be kind and to forgive. To believe in Santa, is to believe is one's capacity to give.. To believe in the spirit of goodness. To believe you always have enough to be generous with others. Those stories could not be any truer! Those are the best stories!
People actually try to see the brighter side, to express caring and remembrances at this time of the year. In fact, we often hear it said that it would be wonderful if people could keep that same attitude all year long. So if you feel jammed up with all the extras you feel you must do, or you are momentarily forgetting your abundance and are feeling you haven't enough of value to share, remember the Little Drummer Boy.give a gift of the love you are.....
Think of...
................. the Grinch's "heart full of unwashed socks" ....his perspective is about what he doesn't have. And then his "heart grew two sizes that day!". It only takes a moment to "come home" and open up your vast treasure of Love within. Cindi Lou Who and all the others in Whoville knew while the toys and decorations were fun, they were not really Christmas, not really. All of Whoville forgave him and joined together because "Christmas was in their hearts".....as along as "they had hands to hold".
Or.........
..........Ebenezer Scrooge who said "Bah! Humbug! "to the idea of Christmas. Christmas meant just too much inconvenience to his schedule and to what was important to him. He didn't like the gift giving or cheerful attitudes, or solicitation for the poor.......until in just one night he saw different perspectives on his life, past, present and future and, Bam! "What day is it? "What, today?" "Today is Christmas Day! The spirits did it all in one night!"..He was so grateful to be alive and wanted enthusiastically to make a difference in the lives of those connected to him. He found joy unimaginable.
And of course............
....................... the man who, already had given SOO much to his family and community, sacrificed his own dreams...only to find himself in dire straights feeling very cheated and frightened. He learned that to just to be ALIVE, to be able to kiss the banisters top knob and be able to love that which only a few hours before he so disdained was such a joy. It didn't matter what actually happened...he was there alive in it, loving everyone and everything he saw. The idea he had "sacrificed" and failed disappeared when he saw the perspectives of other people and what he would have missed ...... everything changed for him. With his realization of how "Wonderful Life" was, the bell twinkled and another angel got his wings.
Even our hero...................
...................... Snoopy was shown this Christmas magic when the Red Baron having Snoopy in his sights, didn't fire and later toasted him with "Merry Christmas , my friend". The song goes on to tell us that they knew they would meet again in battle another day, but not this day, not Christmas Day. Many stories show us that beneath our conflict, our quests, our material world (things we ordinarily find VERY important) there is another deeper, richer life. And tho they have this, what seems like magic, for only one night, and then return to the world as they know it, they all remind us....it is there. They touched it, even briefly.... We really do have a "wonderful Life".....love does conquer all. This is not only a child's story but the eternal truth of all existence.
Think of........
.......... "Frosty the Snowman"...talk about frozen hearted....came to life...there is hope for us all!
Why did St Nicolas give those first presents? Because it was a way celebrate the birth of Jesus. We give to the God in each of us...namaste......rich and poor alike. Does it matter when he was actually born or if he born as it is written? Of course not. This is about the spirit.........this is about Love. Whether it is the quiet, gentle, peaceful love of a silent night or the jolly, laughing, joy of love of a visit from Santa. It is about Love all the same.
Giving Christmas cards...telling friends we are thinking of them and love them. What a wonderful idea!
The small self looks at only the physical. It can be motivated by what we are or we are not getting or doing....we can be put out by the push to celebrate...by the salvation army's bell ringing as we go into the store...but maybe, just maybe...we might think if it is SO difficult to think of others, to stop our own story, our fast pace and racing mind to give, to reach out to our families, friends and even strangers.....we might question what it is that we ARE doing that makes it feel so inconvenient. Wouldn't that be great?!
The true you...loves it all. You could pat every Santa on the back, and always have something to give and are grateful to be part of it all. You are so full of joy, it can spill over and eek out at any opportunity possible. If others don't see any joy, that's OK...down deep they have it in them too.......... it's not that you have to love in spite of yourself, it is that you are Love. It is your very nature. This just happens to be a season where everyone is being reminded that it does exist.
I know...it is so easy to get distracted from who you really are...and it all becomes about time, and momentarily believing the illusion of not having enough.......
........take a moment and smile....let time ...go.....and in the now of this moment, bless that man who cut in front of you in line....he has no idea how wonderful he really is....laugh with the sales clerk who is obviously floundering and dig out even two dimes to put in the bucket you pass.
You can smile and love your children even when they don't get the TRIPLE XXX new big deal or seem ungrateful.. They are, after all, children....Loosen up a little...
....this season you can actually laugh while you give......
....."Ho! Ho! Ho!....
......to all of you.............."from the one that has everything...........
Peace on earth...goodwill toward man"....
Breathe.......smile.........laugh...........selah
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