Just One More Day - A Letter To Santa Claus

According to some sources, the following letter was found in the 'Letters To Santa' box at the Post Office in Thompson Falls, Montana.


Dear Santa

What do I ask this year I have perused each ad in my mailbox, pored over the colorful ads in the newspaper. So many lovely things, and yet I need nothing.

I realize this as I walk up the hill on my strong legs. I can hear the air fill my lungs. I feel the cold on my cheeks. I smell the smoke of the fire that warms my home. I see the snow-capped mountains and the slate gray river peppered with fat geese.

I need nothing there are people who love me. There are people who forgive my sometimes wretched temper and who touch me with loving hands. There are neighbors who smile in the store. There are shopkeepers who are tolerant when I don't have enough money. There are kind faces in public places.

There is a fat pregnant cat who sneaks into my garage. Dogs and other cats share my hearth; I love to feel their fur with my feet. There are hawks that teach their young of flight, right there behind my house. There are deer that tiptoe into my yard and savor the fat apples in the snow.

Rows of glassed vegetables; green beans, tomatoes, peas and carrots color my pantry. And a rusty bucket of hand tools and neatly dried seeds promises next year's riches.

I need nothing! Christmas promises already fulfilled redeem my foolish life, and occasionally I glimpse the feast that awaits me when this earthly one is done.

Today I discovered a hole in my jeans. I felt the December air slither down my leg. How mighty is the hand that sweeps the wind along the mountains. Santa, dear old soul, just give me another day like this one in my life.

Thank you.
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We'll See

Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China.
He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an
old horse to plow his field.

One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead.
Everyone in the village said, Oh, what a horrible thing to happen. The
farmer said simply, We'll see. He was so at peace and so calm, that
everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave
him a new horse as a gift.

Everyone's reaction now was, What a lucky man. And the farmer said, We'll see.

A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away.
Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, What a poor
fellow!

The farmer smiled and said, We'll see.

Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said,
What a fortunate man.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse
and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, What a shame
for the poor boy.

The farmer said, We'll see.

Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits.
When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not
to recruit him.

Everyone said, What a fortunate young man.

The farmer smiled again - and said We'll see.

Moral of the story:
There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our
everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be
a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all
events and circumstances are gifts that we can learn valuable lessons
from.

Being Strong

Silence brings the experience of the power within.

When we see with a silent mind, a mind free from questions and waste
thoughts, we will be able to see beyond what is visibly happening.

This enables us to go beyond the situation. It is like flying high and
looking down below and we'll be able to see things clearly and also be
able to fly across the barriers very easily.

Application:

All I need to do when I am tired of the situation I am going through
is to take some moments of silence to remind myself of the power
within me. When I get detached and watch the situation as I would
watch a play I would be able to enjoy each thing that happens. This
detachment gives me the power to understand the situation accurately
and overcome all obstacles.

Destiny

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt.

On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose.

Destiny will now reveal itself.

He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious.

After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, No one can change destiny.

Quite right, the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides.

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Sitting on Your Talent

There was a man played piano in a bar. He was a good piano player. People came out just to hear him play. But one night, a patron told him he didn't want to hear him just play anymore. He wanted him to sing a song.

The man said, I don't sing.

But the customer was persistent. He told the bartender, I'm tired of listening to the piano. I want that guy to sing!

The bartender shouted across the room, Hey buddy! If you want to get paid, sing a song. The patrons are asking you to sing!

So he did. He sang a song. A piano player who had never sung in public did so for the very first time. And nobody had ever heard the song Mona, Mona Lisa sung the way it was sung that night by Nat King Cole!

He had talent he was sitting on! He may have lived the rest of his life as a no-name piano player in a no-name bar, but because he had to sing, he went on to become one of the best-known entertainers in America.

You, too, have skills and abilities. You may not feel as if your talent is particularly great, but it may be better than you think! And with persistence, most skills can be improved. Besides, you may as well have no ability at all if you sit on whatever talent you possess!

The better question is not - What ability do I have that is useful? It is rather How will I use whatever ability I have?

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Harsh Words

A woman bought eggs and butter from a farmer who had a fine reputation not only for the quality of his products, but also for his promptness of delivery.

Then one day, when she was expecting guests, he failed to come. On the next delivery, she spoke harshly to him.

At the end of her tirade he said quietly, "I'm sorry if I caused you any inconvenience, but I had the misfortune of burying my mother yesterday."

Ashamed, the woman determined never to speak harshly to anyone again until she fully understood the cause of the delay.

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Living A Balanced Life

To combat modern day stressors, you need to realise that things are going to go the way they are going to go, so you may as well just relax. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to practice extreme self-care which means putting your own needs first.

You must take care of yourself first or you will be no good to anyone else. Self care is simply loving and honouring yourself. Loving yourself is giving to yourself. Giving to yourself allows you to share with others more fully. Being more fully present means you naturally develop less of an attachment to what goes on around you, and can instead be more relaxed and at peace.

Releasing the need to control yourself, other people, and or situations, will greatly reduce the amount of stress you experience in your life. Also helpful is relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating your body, mind and spirit.

Your body is your temple, and can easily get run down by stress, strain, and struggle. Take care of it with regular relaxing activities.

Your mind is your guide, it can easily get distracted and off course, so take care of it with regular refreshing activities.

Take long walks; spend time in nature; learn new things; consciously slow down; know and live by your values and beliefs. Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine for stress. Deep breathe. Taking deep breaths will soothe your nerves and refresh your mind.

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Praying For Others

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God.

However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the island, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren.

After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked , and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the island. On the other side of the island, there was nothing.

Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing.

Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his
prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, Why are you leaving your companion on the island

My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them, the first man answered. His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.

You are mistaken! the voice rebuked him. He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.

Tell me, the first man asked the voice, what did he pray for that I should owe him anything.

He prayed that all your prayers be answered.

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us.
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