Dear Amma Lee:
Life hands us many things that we don't understand. It's easy for us to lose our faith and our hope. When I was your age, the one belief, above any other, that made sense, was my belief in Santa Claus. No matter what anyone tells you, there certainly is a Santa Claus. Some people lose sight of him because they are angry at what they have lost. Some lose their faith probably because they forgot they had the magic to believe. Bad things happen whether we are 5 or 50 but the one truth we can hold on to is Christmas and Santa Claus live in each of us and it's up to us whether we believe the magic and make our world better than where we found it. Some will tell you that there is no magic, no imagination and that there is no Santa Claus. They are wrong.
I know they are wrong when I hear laughter... any laughter. Laughter is indeed magic. Your mom believes in the magic of Christmas each time she hears you giggle or when you share a secret that only she can know as she snuggles you to bed each night. I know Santa exists, when someone smiles at me. Of course, Santa Claus really likes it when you smile back. By the way, should you find yourself in a situation where no one is smiling or laughing, hug them. Santa really likes that too.
I know Santa exists each time I sit down with my family and we share our tales and our woes and somehow, by the magic in each of us, we are grateful for being together. I feel him each and every time I hear music and singing. Music is his most gracious gift to us. Dancing is the other gift. To dance means true joy. Santa knows this to be true and so, dear Amma Lee, sing, and dance and surround yourself with those who will join you. You will never be alone. Christmas has given you many gifts that you can not readily see but they are there.
The difficulties of being human seem so large. There are those who will want to tell you that there is no such thing as Santa but how can that be when you dear girl, exist? He sees your love, your kindness and when you are sad, he sees how incredibly strong you are and will be as each Christmas comes and goes. Santa Claus exists every time we see the sun, the rain, the snow. With every season, with every change in our lives, we can hold on to our faith that is Christmas. For those who don't or who tell you otherwise, understand that they simply need to believe again. Let them know, that they can always find their magic again if they allow themselves to love.
So, dear Amma Lee, any time someone tells you not to believe, look up in the sky and notice each twinkling star, and gaze at the wonder of the heavens for it's there that all those who believed before us share their love and their light each Christmas. Santa knows how much you are loved and how smart you are. He exists Amma Lee, in the light of your eyes and the love in your heart.