Sunday, January 07, 2007
Santa's Secret Wish
In my experience, sometimes the holidays can be depressing. There is a lot of hustle and bustle to get the shopping done, to get cookies baked, to decorate a tree, amongst other things. I found that it was hard to keep the Christmas Spirit in me. So, when I came across this poem, I thought it was perfect to help keep Christmas alive in our hearts all year long. I hope you too will find that same spirit and carry it with you. Enjoy!
"Santa's Secret Wish" by Betty Werth
On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes, looked deep into Santa's, to Santa's surprise, and said as he nestled on Santa's broad knee, "I want your secret. Tell it to me."
He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear, "How do you do it, year after year?"
"I want to know how, as you travel about, giving gifts here and there, you never run out. How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys, you have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys? From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small, from nation to nation, reaching them all?"
And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy, "Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?" But the child shook his head, and Santa could see that he needed the answer. "Now, listen to me," he told the small boy with the light in his eyes, "My secret will make you sadder, and wise." "The truth is that my sack is magic. Inside, it holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride. But, although I do visit each girl and each boy, I don't always leave them a gaily wrapped toy. Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad. Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad. Some homes are broken, and children there grieve. Those homes, I visit, but what should I leave? "My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff, but for homes where despair lives, toys aren't enough. So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy, and pray with them that they'll be given the joy of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives in the heart of the dear child who gets not but gives. If only God hears me and answers my prayer, when I visit next year, what I will find there are homes filled with peace, and with giving and love and boys and girls gifted with light from above. It's a very hard task, my smart little brother, to give toys to some and to give prayers to others. But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed. For God has a way of meeting each need. That's part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth, is that my sack is magic, and that is the truth. In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day, more love than a Santa could ever give away. The sack never empties of love, nor of joys 'cause inside it are prayers, and hopes. Not just toys. The more that I give, the fuller it seems, because giving is my way of fulfiling dreams. "And do you know something? You've got a sack too. It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you. It never gets empty, it's full from the start. It's the center of lights, and of love. It's your heart. And if on this Christmas you want to help me, don't be so concerned with the gifts 'neath the tree. Open that sack called your heart, and share your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care. " The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing. "Thanks for the secret, I have to get going." "Wait, little boy, " said Santa "don't go. Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?" And just for a moment the small boy stood still, touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will."
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
"Santa's Secret Wish" by Betty Werth
On Christmas Eve, a young boy with light in his eyes, looked deep into Santa's, to Santa's surprise, and said as he nestled on Santa's broad knee, "I want your secret. Tell it to me."
He leaned up and whispered in Santa's good ear, "How do you do it, year after year?"
"I want to know how, as you travel about, giving gifts here and there, you never run out. How is it, dear Santa, that in your pack of toys, you have plenty for all of the world's girls and boys? From rooftop to rooftop, to homes large and small, from nation to nation, reaching them all?"
And Santa smiled kindly and said to the boy, "Don't ask me hard questions. Don't you want a toy?" But the child shook his head, and Santa could see that he needed the answer. "Now, listen to me," he told the small boy with the light in his eyes, "My secret will make you sadder, and wise." "The truth is that my sack is magic. Inside, it holds millions of toys for my Christmas Eve ride. But, although I do visit each girl and each boy, I don't always leave them a gaily wrapped toy. Some homes are hungry, some homes are sad. Some homes are desperate, some homes are bad. Some homes are broken, and children there grieve. Those homes, I visit, but what should I leave? "My sleigh is filled with the happiest stuff, but for homes where despair lives, toys aren't enough. So I tiptoe in, kiss each girl and boy, and pray with them that they'll be given the joy of the spirit of Christmas, the spirit that lives in the heart of the dear child who gets not but gives. If only God hears me and answers my prayer, when I visit next year, what I will find there are homes filled with peace, and with giving and love and boys and girls gifted with light from above. It's a very hard task, my smart little brother, to give toys to some and to give prayers to others. But the prayers are the best gifts, the best gifts indeed. For God has a way of meeting each need. That's part of the answer. The rest, my dear youth, is that my sack is magic, and that is the truth. In my sack I carry on Christmas Eve day, more love than a Santa could ever give away. The sack never empties of love, nor of joys 'cause inside it are prayers, and hopes. Not just toys. The more that I give, the fuller it seems, because giving is my way of fulfiling dreams. "And do you know something? You've got a sack too. It's as magic as mine, and it's inside of you. It never gets empty, it's full from the start. It's the center of lights, and of love. It's your heart. And if on this Christmas you want to help me, don't be so concerned with the gifts 'neath the tree. Open that sack called your heart, and share your joy, your friendship, your wealth, your care. " The light in the small boy's eyes was glowing. "Thanks for the secret, I have to get going." "Wait, little boy, " said Santa "don't go. Will you share? Will you help? Will you use what you know?" And just for a moment the small boy stood still, touched his heart with his small hand and whispered, "I will."
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
# posted by Ray_of_Hope @ 2:43 PM 
