RSS 2.0 FeedThursday, December 8, 2011, Weekly editorial
Yes Santa, there is a Virginia
She may be seven months or seven years or 70, but you can see it in her eyes that she believes in you.
You have heard about the others – those who think you are a nice fairy tale, nothing more. They like to feel that they are realistic about things, practical people.
To them, you are only a theme for a party they were going to have anyway. They have everything they need or want, it seems.
And if their world of neatly stacked cards should suddenly come tumbling down, they would have nothing – no feasts, no gifts, no friends. And they would say, “See, there’s no Santa Claus.”
But Virginia, well, she’s stubborn. She wouldn’t take other peoples’ words for it.
She would have to ask someone, write a letter to the editor, because deep down inside, even with all outside appearances to the contrary, she would still believe in you.
Virginia loves the snow. To her it is not a bother to put on boots and trudge through it. It is wonderful.
Virginia loves the holiday lights, whether they are garish displays, a strand of fireflies, or a single candle in a window. Their light mirrors the sparkle in her eyes.
Virginia loves the familiar strain of holiday melodies, loves to sing them over and over.
Virginia loves the mystery of wrapped presents and the fun of tearing the paper off them.
Virginia loves to be surrounded by family and friends and love, and she loves the peace of solitude. Her heart is open to wonder.
Virginia is the baby fascinated by the stars. She is the little girl with her face pressed against the windowpane of the toy store. She is the lonely woman waiting for the sound of a footstep. If there were no sights and sounds and smells of holiday fun, she would still believe in you.
She would still be waiting.
