Today I thought about the year I became clear that Santa was
mythology. I was 8 and had been pretty sure it was all made up for about a
year, but I didn’t wholesale abandon the belief, just in case. I kept on believing
because I wanted to receive.
That year, the year I turned 8, not too far from Christmas
time, my parents moved us to a new neighborhood. The expense of a new home caused
financial restraints that prompted them to reveal to me that Santa was indeed a
thing of lore and that I may not get all the things I wanted for Christmas that
year because the true purchaser of the gifts would be them. They trusted my
intelligence and that I would understand that this great new house we were
living in was far more important than any of the things on my list. And
truthfully, I did. I loved my new room and I was completely ok with not getting
everything on my lists, because I had something that I didn’t realize until
much later in my life was more important to my mental health. I had a place and
space of my own to explore my thoughts and engage my imagination. And I had a
trust in my parents that based on past years when they played Santa that they
would make up for any slack in future years. I was grateful.
So, on that Christmas morning, I decided to sleep in as
opposed to getting up at the crack of dawn which was my usual practice. I
figured I didn’t have as many presents to open. So, I might as well get some
rest. LOL My mom had to come and wake me up. To my young heart’s surprise, my
parents had some how managed to get me everything I had asked for on my list to
“Santa.” I was more than excited since I had resigned my self to not getting it
all. To this day it is one of my fondest Christmas memories. Knowing that my
parents had sacrificed to make my holiday dreams a reality meant more to me than
the thought of a Santa visit ever had.
As I was pondering this memory, I considered the approaching
year. I will be embarking on some new endeavors and launching into some new territory
in 2019. I will be walking into places that my faith has prepared me for, but
my intellect has not yet completely grasped. But what I do know for sure is
that these new opportunities are space and room to explore my thoughts and
engage my imagination. And for THAT I am extremely grateful. This childhood memory
reminded me of the power of resting in gratitude. It showed me that just like
my earthly parents, the Universal Parent knows I can handle this next level of truth,
and it reminded me that my response will dictate the joy of the expected outcome
that Spirit has for me. You see, believing in Santa and getting what I wanted as
a child for 7 years had taught me to trust in the power of belief. And my parents
revealing the truth taught me that my parents loved me enough to have considered
my desires and work to fulfill them for all those years. It is a lesson that
both my earthly and Universal parents would reinforce time and again over the years.
I have always had people in whom I believed and who believed
in me. I think that is the reason why I am a “believer” beyond anything other.
If this is something you’ve never or rarely experienced, then trust and belief
can be a hard stance to maintain. I completely get it. So, my wish for you this
Christmas is that you experience the power that lives in the place of belief
and that you feel contentment that comes from a trusting relationship. And know
that if no one else believes in you, I do!
My friend Andrea calls me an eternal optimist. I call myself
a pragmatic optimist. I know that the only way we make it as a species is
together. And if that is true, and I believe that it is, then I must believe in
you! I have to believe you will rise to your better nature; You will achieve
your highest height. And that no matter how high you do or do not go, that you will
tap into that same spark of human ingenuity that lives in us all and survive
and thrive.
I know everyone can’t hold that space and I don’t expect them to.
We’re not all made for the same purpose. The world needs the realists and the
pessimists to balance it all out. But, I’m a believer. I believed in Santa. I
believed in my Parents and I believe in YOU. That’s my lane. I’ma walk in it
and hope that by doing so it helps you to walk in yours.
Merry Christmas! And Happy Holidays, whichever you observe! Trust
and Believe!
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