The Real Santa Visits Our Town

This guy is the REAL Santa. Our local department store sells everything from gourmet candies and shoes to high school letter jackets and furniture. The owner dresses up every year not to gouge customers for high priced photos but because he loves taking time out to sit down and listen to kids. Usually, he sits on a comfy sofa and lets the little ones climb up and just chat. He is able to give them as much time as they want to spend because there is usually never a line. It is a very relaxed, real visit with Saint Nick and Natalie was convinced that all the other mall Santas were just helpers and she had struck gold with the real deal!

I was eavesdropping and taking pictures of their innocent exchange and surprisingly it was not presents my daughter requested but instead she just told him about her life with her brothers. She shared with him about her beagle, Sarah Bagel, who looked more like a beach ball than a dog and about her hedgehog Elmer Fudd, and how she didn't really enjoy holding him. My daughter always has had a deep compassion . The conversation is one I can still replay in my mind with this little 6 year old holding the bearded guys white gloved hand as she locked eyes with him while she explained about how she would rather be a cub scout than a girl scout cuz she loved camping more than table setting. (Her leader was a bit misguided) This tender hearted store owner never took his gaze off Natalie as he managed to make her the most important person in the store.

Something we all can learn from my daughter sitting down with the Real Santa Claus, is that their is true magic in just taking a bit of time to really listen to each other. Dave Fox understands the power of letting kids speak what is in their hearts. Surprisingly, adults find that kids are not so selfish or self centered when they are just allowed to be heard. That magical moment from a Christmas past, holds a lesson I wish I would practice more often in my own life. Giving another human being my undivided attention so they can leisurely talk about whatever comes to mind.

In Him,
Joyful
12-12-2010