FIRST SNOW!

I LOVE SNOW!!!  Unfortunately, I don't live in a region where it is constant but sporadic.  That being said however, last winter we were deluged with one of the larger snowfall amounts in recent St. Louis memory.  In past years we always seem to be just on the cusp of the demarcation line so to speak.  It reminds me of the famous Maxwell Smart line, "missed it by that much".

Now, it's quite possible that were I to live in a region of ubiquitous amounts or were it so pervasive that I couldn't get out, I may think or say differently.  However, that could have its rewards as I could sit in front of my screen a good part of the day pounding out rather profound if not inescapable volumes for this blog.

But, as it was the day after Christmas that it came, and our wishes for a White Christmas were hopelessly dashed, I like to think, better late than never.  And we still have to tread through 3 more months of winter and it would remote for nary another storm to blanket our area.  So, I'm forever hopeful that another one will soon be on its way.  Now, as a school teacher, I must say I have my limits on how many times I can watch in earnest in the wee hours of the morn' our local news report our school district is closed.  I can joyously shout really only 5 times and after that, I know it's going to eat ridiculously into my summer vacation as it did last year, having to make up days.  But it sure is nice to crawl back into a warm bed or stoke the fireplace and curl up with furballs and canines and a good comforter, (or Meg Ryan if you're reading)

But getting back to that first snow and its pristine silence, cascading to earth.  It's always bleak and the sky is inhospitable while it falls.  And the hush of a flake dancing, toppling is a paradox in itself.  I've often been in a forest as it snowed and the stillness often cries of an aging austerity that proves so uninviting.  It's that paradox of silence that penetrates my soul.  In the redeeming quality of that snowflake once landed, one sees the glint of sparkle; light and fashion sculpted into a promise of redemption and vision.  Oh, how I love the snow!

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

"Silent Night, Holy Night
all is calm, all is bright,

Sing to me softly, whisper my name, I listen

"Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child,
Holy Infant so tender and mild",

Kiss me with lips so tender, I'm in despair
For your absence has frozen this air,

"Sleep in Heavenly Peace,
Sleep in Heavenly Peace,"

Your touch and warmth is not here,
The chill of the night gives me fear,

"Silent Night, Holy Night,
Son of God, Loves pure light,

Lead me by hand, take my heart
to the place of joy and commence

"Radiant beams from thy Holy Face.
With dawn of redeeming grace,"

I shall seek your your presence
In the grip of this silence,

"Jesus, Lord at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth"

Come, give to me your speak,
Now, at this time of my seek

"I Waited"

I waited at their door,

Looking for a presence once more,

Alas, the shine failed to appear,

But my gaze caught myself in the mirror

Seeking in desperate fondness

Of missions from the past.

They shall arrive when sorrow

Seeks us no more but lays a gentle

Ground for me tomorrow.

I tap the springs of hope as my heart

Seeks redemption from willows aghast.

It is time for joy to bring

Me to embrace what is mine

As I walk this path in borrowed time.

They shall walk along with constant step

Hand in hand ne’er to forget.

They’ll let me pass with them
always together, speaking of our anthem

Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus

This was an original article that was written in the New York Sun in 1897 by Francis Church after Philip O'Halon's 8yr. old daughter-Virginia had posed the question to him.  He suggested she write a letter to the New York Sun saying, "if it's printed in the Sun, then it's so".
This is the response given by Mr. Church:

Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

I'd just like to add that Yes, Daniel there is a Santa Claus also.  Every time you witness a kind act, or the cry of a newborn baby, or the smell of puppy breath, or the gentle kiss of a raindrop on a blade of grass, or listen to the eerie silence of freshly fallen snow, or the dance of a sun beam caressing your pillow, or the smile of a wrinkled brow, or the laughter of a child at play, or the dance of a flame charring a log, or the soft kiss planted on your cheek. Yes, these timeless happenings occur each and every day telling me that Santa is here.