I do believe

“I do believe” conjures up a lot of images.   I always think of the Cowardly lion having an epiphany of sorts about “evil” and witches and such…acts committed to make one a believer.  Things like that still occur.  This is a season that is supposed to be considered holy by many faiths, filled with fun, frivolity, love and compassion.  With the politicians running amok in Washington and elsewhere, jobs are scarce.  With  Unemployment benefits running out, families are  trying to make ends meet and still provide a time of magic for their children. It’s a little hard sometimes to feel connected spiritually or physically with the season.  Some people don’t even try.   But I have been reading about a phenomenon that has been happening across the country at the Kmarts in their layaway departments.  Now the working poor..and most of us are, because  by the time we pay bills there is little left… we are well familiarized with layaways because it helps us fulfill the dreams of little people in a timely manner .  Walmart bit themselves in the ass when they closed theirs..they realized it and opened it back up again this year…but Kmart has had one all the time.  So back to the phenomenon…it seems that some donors..majority anonymous, are paying off layaways for people with children just in time for the holidays.  Its been leaving people stunned, shellshocked and extremely grateful that someone would think of others.  The reason this is newsworthy?  It’s because its a rarity.  Think..name 5 people off the top of your head (famous or not) that having the money. would do  something of this nature for strangers.  Do they? No.  Why not?  If they give, they give to charities with strings so they can take it off their taxes to gain more money.  Most of the donors(and Kmart spoke with many) just wanted to do something for others in the spirit of the season.  No religion attached, no strings, just a desire to help because they could and had the funds.  They don’t even want acknowledged so they can be thanked!  All they want is for children to have presents and continue to believe in that spirit of giving, the magic that is Santa.  How amazing is that?   I know that there are people who choose to not tell their kids about Santa, the tooth fairy and Easter bunny…for them its lying because eventually the kids find out and they claim it disappoints them.  For me, I’ve always held that each child should own a piece of the magic…that spirit of love and generosity and fun filled indulgence that fills each season.  With all the darkness in the world today, why would you deny your child something that is wholesome and filled with so much love and compassion.  They are loved, and so are left a little something.  The gifts do not have to be extravagant, the intent is to remind the child that they have a place in this world and are loved for it.  I am a big believer that children need to be shown love and reminded often that they have a big place in the family.  It’s not an all adult world..they are special and important.  For without them, we adults would soon become so bogged down in our mundane little existence that we would forget that magic exists all around us.  So for those people who have the ability to give, big or small..my hat is off to you.  You are what keeps the spirit of love alive. The gift of “brotherhood” that we all need to remember to embrace as human beings, regardless of faith, race, sexuality…Love..it’s the most powerful component of magic around.  Use it wisely.