Dear Santa...

I remember making out Christmas lists, and filling them with all the toys and various other stuffs that I wanted - those things that would be fun and fill my days with delight. I would wake up Christmas morning, hoping that underneath the tree would be the things I wanted so desperately. And I think that every single time I asked for that specific thing, I never once got it. Instead of an action figure (in my day, it was transformers) there would be a lego set. Instead of that snazzy youth football uniform, it would be the actual football, etc, etc. It was never what I expected, and never really what I asked for.

My parents had a rule: Toys were fine, but they should have some semblance of education to them. Lego sets taught you how to follow instructions. The football would become countless lessons in how to work together with someone - let alone on a team. They had another rule, too: take care of needs first. Just as often, I would find new socks, a shirt or two, and other basic needs under the tree. Needless to say, I was not quite as thrilled with those gifts, but now that I'm older and pretend to be a little wiser, I'm grateful.

But I was reminded of this the other day when a friend asked me what I would like for Christmas. My answer: I have no idea. I haven't stopped to think about it. I came up with a quick answer, though: World Peace. Today, of all days, I thought that giving a nod to world peace might be in order. As many people know, December 7th is the "Day that will live in infamy." - it marks the 69th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor that cemented the United States entering into WWII. It sent our men and women overseas to fight for freedom, and the right to attain world peace. It sent women into the factories to create a labor force while so many men were gone. It gave us allies around the world. And enemies, too.

I appeal to each of you today for my Christmas wish: Practice peace in your daily life. Maybe together, world peace can happen - eventually.

Thanks for reading.

The Fat Kid